LOBBYING
In December, BPCA received a Freedom of Information (FOI) response from the Metropolitan Police, which revealed that no training had been provided to officers on glue trap protocols.
This raises serious concerns, as a Defra representative informed BPCA in July that pest professionals encountering illegal glue traps should "report the matter to the police as soon as possible."
To gain clarity on officers’ and the public’s understanding of the new law, BPCA submitted the following FOI request to the Met Police, seeking information on:
- Training provided to the Met Police on the licensing scheme
- Any campaigns undertaken to inform the public on the ban
- Briefings on identifying licensed professionals or verifying whether glue trap use has been authorised
- Whether any reports of glue traps being used in residential or commercial properties had been received since the Bill’s introduction.
The response confirmed the following:
- The Wildlife Crime Unit (WCU) has no records of reports submitted after this date
- The WCU has provided no training or briefings on the Glue Traps (Offences) Act or its licensing scheme to date
- There are no protocols or guidance documents available for handling glue trap reports
- No public awareness campaigns have been conducted regarding the Bill or its licensing scheme
- Searches conducted within the Learning Management System (LMS) by the Learning and Development department revealed no relevant training materials.
Implications for pest management
BPCA Policy Officer, Jordan McCay, said:
“One of BPCA’s significant concerns when the Glue Traps Act and its licensing scheme were introduced was that the legislation might hinder professionals from using glue traps responsibly, leading to increased amateur use.
“The FOI response highlights the consequences of a rushed scheme.”
BPCA members have reported seeing glue board misuse by the public continue, despite the ban on unlicensed use in England.
BPCA has submitted an FOI request, but Natural England has yet to confirm how many professional licences for glue boards have been issued. Anecdotally, it seems that very few applications have been approved for pest professionals.
Jordan continued:
“The ban disproportionately affects pest professionals who comply with the law, while supposedly banned amateur use continues unchecked.
“The Met Police has not received any reports of illegal glue board use, likely due to a lack of public awareness and police preparedness.
“This indicates a significant failure in the scheme’s implementation, which has done nothing to discourage amateur glue board use, compromising both animal welfare and public health.”
BPCA’s stance on rodent glue boards
BPCA remains committed to lobbying for an effective licensing scheme that addresses the concerns of all stakeholders, ensuring:
- Animal welfare standards are upheld
- Public health risks are minimised
- Professional pest management is not unduly restricted.
We urge policymakers to review the current system and work collaboratively with industry experts to create a framework that is both practical and enforceable.
YOUR SUPPORT
Send your glue board stories to hello@bpca.org.uk so we can help lobby for a workable glue board licensing scheme that protects public health and animal welfare.
WATCH IT BACK
Listen back to our 'Life after glue boards' debate session (Members-only).
Watch now