The Spring Traps Approval (Variation) (England) Order 2021

Statutory Instruments

2021 No. 19

Animals, England

Prevention Of Cruelty

The Spring Traps Approval (Variation) (England) Order 2021

Made

8th January 2021

Coming into force

31st January 2021

The Secretary of State makes this Order in exercise of the powers conferred by section 8(3) and (7) of the Pests Act 1954(1) and now vested in the Secretary of State(2).

Citation and commencement

1.  This Order—

(a) may be cited as the Spring Traps Approval (Variation) (England) Order 2021; and

(b) comes into force on 31st January 2021.

Variation of the Spring Traps Approval (England) Order 2018

2.  The Schedule to the Spring Traps Approval (England) Order 2018(3) is varied as follows—

(a) in the entry for the DOC 250, in column 2 (conditions), after “purpose of killing”, in the first place where it occurs, insert “ferrets,”;

(b) in the entry for the Goodnature A24 Rat and Stoat Trap, in column 2 (conditions), for “and mice” substitute “mice and edible dormice (Glis glis)(4)”;

(c) after the entry for the Nooski mouse trap, insert the following entry—

“Perdix Spring Trap manufactured by or under the authority of PERDIX Wildlife Supplies, Unit 1 Hatton Rock Business Park, Hatton Rock, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 0BX.

The trap may be used only for the purpose of killing or taking grey squirrels, rats, stoats and weasels. The trap must be set in a natural or artificial tunnel which is, in either case, suitable for the purpose.”;

(d) in the entry for the Tully Trap, in column 2 (conditions), for “and rats.” substitute—

“, rats and grey squirrels.

Where used for grey squirrels, the trap must be fitted with baffles for grey squirrels supplied by the manufacturer or constructed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Baffles fitted onto a trap must be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.”.

Rebecca Pow

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

8th January 2021

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order varies the Spring Traps Approval (England) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/1190).

Under section 8 of the Pests Act 1954 (c. 68), it is an offence to use or knowingly permit the use of any spring trap, other than a trap that has been approved by order, for animals or in circumstances for which it is not approved.

This Order adds a type of spring trap to those approved for use in England, namely, the Perdix Spring Trap (article 2(c)).

It also adds to the target species for which three of the traps previously approved may be used:

• the Doc 250 may now also be used for ferrets (article 2(a));

• the Goodnature A24 Rat and Stoat Trap may now also be used for edible dormice (Glis glis) (article 2(b)); and

• the Tully Trap may now also be used for grey squirrels, where it is fitted with baffles for grey squirrels, in accordance with the conditions specified (article 2(d)).

An impact assessment had not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.

(1)

1954 c. 68. Section 8(7) was amended by section 1(1) of, and Part 8 of Schedule 1 to, the Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1973 (c. 39).

(2)

The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries was re-named “the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food” upon the transfer to that Minister of the functions of the Minister of Food by S.I. 1955/554. The functions of the Minster of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food were transferred to the Secretary of State by S.I. 2002/794.

(3)

S.I. 2018/1190.

(4)

See footnote (2) to the table in the Schedule to S.I. 2018/1190.