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 issues guidance on the management of large wild deer populations.

Native deer are an important part of our natural heritage and their activities can benefit some habitats. However, excessive foraging, bark stripping and trampling can have negative impacts on woodlands. Defra therefore provides a range of support for managing deer impacts.

The Forestry Commission and Natural England contribute to the production and updating of online guidance on all aspects of managing deer impacts. This is done in partnership with stakeholders, through the Deer Initiative Partnership. Guidance is available via its website.

Guidance is additionally available via a team of Deer Officers within the Forestry Commission, who also oversee applications for Countryside Stewardship grants to help with deer impacts management (including by lethal control), at all scales, from local to landscape scale.

Natural England publishes guidance on gov.uk on when to apply for a licence to kill or take deer in the close season or at night.