Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to help tackle the sale of (a) Ferber Painting Badger Killer, (b) Ferber Painting Hedgehog Killer and (c) other illegal poisons that are used on protected species.

The Government strongly condemns any attempts to harm or kill hedgehogs or badgers with either of the named Ferber Painting products, and the use of any poisons targeted at our protected species. Badgers and hedgehogs are both protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Those found guilty of such illegal activities can expect to face the full force of the law, including potentially severe fines and custodial sentences.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is investigating after being made aware of Ferber Painting products being advertised for sale online for the control of protected species.

There are strict regulations in place in Great Britain (GB) to make sure that products for pest control are used properly. Products must be authorised before they can be made available on the market and must be used in accordance with the conditions of that authorisation. There are no such authorisations for the two Ferber Painting products referenced.

It is a criminal offence to fail to comply with the laws that regulate the supply of chemicals in GB, or to use chemicals in a way which harms people, pets, protected species or the wider environment, with penalties that may lead to unlimited fines or imprisonment.

There are robust, multi-agency arrangements in place for enforcing the illegal supply and use of chemicals which include HSE, the Environment Agency, the police and local authorities, with the illegal poisoning of protected species investigated by a dedicated Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme. HSE will be engaging with these agencies where appropriate as part of this investigation.