PPC122 | POLITICS

Our lobbying and public affairs work currently focuses on three key aims: protecting the toolkit, implementing Awaab’s Law and innovation in chemical regulation. 

In this issue of Pests in Politics, Rosina Robson provides an update on our latest work in these areas.

Protecting the toolkit

Animal Welfare Strategy
BPCA is actively engaging with the UK government on the recently announced Animal Welfare Strategy for England, which proposes reviewing certain outdoor wildlife traps due to welfare concerns. 

This strategy reaffirms the planned ban on snare traps and commits to assessing older spring traps, mole traps, and live-capture corvid traps, though household rodent snap traps are excluded. 

We met with Defra in late 2025 to discuss the potential impacts on pest management and are following up to provide further detail and gather member feedback. 

We’ve emphasised the need for decisions to be grounded in evidence that recognises the responsible use of traps by trained professionals and have reached out to allied organisations to build a balanced, evidence-based case for policymakers.

If your work could be affected by the Animal Welfare Strategies proposals, we encourage you to share that real-world experience with us, to support effective engagement with Defra. policy@bpca.org.uk

Glue trap sales ban moves forward
BPCA has been actively supporting legislative progress that would allow parts of the UK to ban the sale of rodent glue traps, with MPs and Peers approving the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 (Exclusions from Market Access Principles: Glue Traps) Regulations 2025. 

This step would clear the way for Scotland to put into force their ban on the sale and supply of glue boards under the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024.

BPCA has long lobbied for tighter controls on glue traps to address welfare concerns and misuse by untrained users. We will continue to push the government to extend a sale ban in England and Wales and to close loopholes that still allow the public to purchase traps legally, despite it being illegal to use them. 

We also raised issues in Parliament about enforcement, professional access to traps for public health use, and engagement with the pest control sector. We will keep working with Defra and policymakers to ensure future laws protect animal welfare, public health, and professional pest management standards.

Implementing Awaab's Law

Decent Homes Standard (Northern Ireland)
BPCA has submitted evidence to the Decent Homes Standard review in Northern Ireland, engaging with proposals to update housing quality requirements for social homes. BPCA is urging that pest management and the condition of rented properties be properly considered in the revised standard.

By contributing expertise, we’ve highlighted how poor housing conditions affect pest problems and public health. Our input reflects our wider engagement with housing and welfare policy to protect residents’ wellbeing and support effective pest management in rented accommodation. 

Innovation in chemical regulation

BPCA joins the Alliance of Chemical Associations (ACA)
BPCA has been voted into the Alliance of Chemical Associations (ACA), strengthening our influence in chemical regulation and public health policy by working with other UK trade bodies. 

By joining the ACA, BPCA will collaborate on coordinated, evidence-based advocacy to government and regulators on chemical issues affecting professional pest management. 

The move gives members a stronger platform for consistent lobbying on chemical regulation, helping ensure decisions reflect real-world use by trained professionals and support public health, food safety, and environmental protection. 

Other public affairs work

BPCA joins cross-sector call for stronger partnerships with government
BPCA and others have signed a joint letter to the Minister for Skills arguing that embedding professional standards, accredited training and frontline expertise in policymaking will support economic growth and public service reform. 

As part of this coalition, we want closer structured engagement between government and industry to help shape practical, proportionate policy and ensure pest management’s role in public health, environmental responsibility and workforce development is recognised.

We also:

• Were mentioned twice in UK Parliament; once on the animal welfare strategy and again on the general sale of glue boards ban 
• Recently met with Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government officials to talk about Phase 2 of Awaab’s Law and the Renter’s Rights Act/private landlords and we will be feeding into government guidance on implementation
• Set up political monitoring so that we can be more proactive in our lobbying with the UK and devolved governments
• Continued stakeholder mapping of MPs/Peers for targeted campaigns
• Engaged with the British Cleaning Council (BCC) about how we can collaborate on lobbying in 2026.