PPC111 | Pests in politics
Losing track of where glue board legislation is at? This chart contains everything we know at the time of publication!
Jump to a section:
England | Scotland | Wales
ENGLAND
Legislation
Glue Traps (Offences) Act 2022
What does it propose to ban?
• Setting a glue trap
• Finding a glue trap and not making it safe.
Legislation status
Royal Assent (currently an enacted law, but in a two-year roll-out period expected to come into force around April 2024).
Licence status
Provision for professional pest controllers. Defra is currently working on viable licences with Natural England.
BPCA work-in-progress
Currently in regular contact with Defra regarding licences. The BPCA Glue Board Working Group has been working on what the sector considers a viable licensing programme.
BPCA work-to-date
• BPCA secured a provision for licensing pest professionals through lobbying work
• BPCA produced briefing documents for politicians around glue boards and why they’re essential for protecting public health - we wrote to many politicians to explain our concerns
• BPCA gathered evidence and case studies from the sector supporting glue traps
• BPCA carried out a PR campaign to raise press attention to the impact on public health or a proposed ban.
SCOTLAND
Legislation
Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill
What does it propose to ban?
• Using glue traps
• Purchasing glue traps.
Legislation status
The Bill is currently at Stage 1 – committees examine the Bill and gather views. They produce reports before MSPs debate the Bill in the chamber. MSPs then decide on the purpose (general principles) of the Bill.
The call for views closed on 5 May 2023.
Licence status
No licences for professionals in Bill.
BPCA work-in-progress
• BPCA has submitted our evidence to the committee
• BPCA is lobbying for an amendment to the Bill to include a provision to license glue traps for professionals
• BPCA has written to all members in Scotland to ask them to engage with their MSPs and provide further case studies.
BPCA work-to-date
• BPCA gathered evidence and case studies from the sector supporting glue traps
• BPCA carried out a PR campaign to raise press attention to the impact on public health or a proposed ban
• Despite our lobbying efforts, the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission recommended the ban of rodent glue boards in March 2021
• BPCA previously gave evidence at the Scottish Parliament Public Petitions Committee in 2019.
WALES
Legislation
Agriculture (Wales) Bill 2022
What does it propose to ban?
• Setting a glue trap.
Legislation status
The Bill is currently at Stage 3 – detailed consideration by the Senedd of the Bill and any amendments tabled.
Licence status
No licences for professionals in Bill.
BPCA work-in-progress
• Frustratingly, the Bill continued without amendments into Stage 3. We’ve formally challenged the evidence provided to the Committee which they’ve quoted in their report
• The Stage 1 report inaccurately states that “local authorities did not use them [rodent glue boards], and neither they nor pest control services had raised any concerns about a ban”
• We’ve written to the Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee, all the members, the Speaker and the Secretary of State for Wales stating all the factual inaccuracies in their report.
BPCA work-to-date
• BPCA submitted substantial evidence to the committee based on consultation with the sector.
• BPCA gave evidence at the Select Committee on glue boards. The general principles of the Bill were agreed upon without the amendments BPCA was hoping to secure. BPCA believes their conclusions were based on flawed evidence (speaking to only a few local authorities and misquoting a large BPCA member company).
• BPCA produced briefing documents for politicians concerning glue boards and why they’re essential for protecting public health. We wrote to many politicians to explain our concerns.
• BPCA carried out a PR campaign to raise press attention to the impact on public health or a proposed ban. BPCA’s campaign in Wales appeared in The Express.
• BPCA gathered evidence and case studies from the sector supporting glue traps.
The work of other parties
NPTA joined the Select Committee (remotely) supporting BPCA’s position.
What about Northern Ireland?
The Northern Ireland government has confirmed that it is not pursuing any glue board legislation at this time.
QUESTIONS?
If you have any queries or concerns about glue board licensing or bans, get in touch.
hello@bpca.org.uk