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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department provides to local authorities on reducing vermin levels in public parks.

Defra does not provide specific advice on reducing vermin levels in public parks. However, the usual good principles of wildlife management apply. Namely, to remove or reduce, as far as is practicable, the factors that attract vermin: access to food, water and shelter. If further action is necessary then the services of properly trained pest controllers should be employed.