News story

23rd June 2004

Government Defends Robin Deaths

The Government has defended its decision allow a family of robins nesting at a Thornbury garden centre to be killed. After revelations that Wyevale Garden Centre had shot two baby robins and one of the parents, Northavon MP Steve Webb tabled a written question in Parliament, calling on the Government to explain why it had granted the licence to shoot the birds.

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) told Steve Webb that it had investigated the matter and found that: "the shooting of the birds by a pest control company was legal and proper procedures were followed". The licence was granted to the centre because the robins were "persistently fouling" in the restaurant area and therefore posed a "threat to public health and safety".

The report on Defra's website concluded that there was no other satisfactory solution to the problem and the decision to issue a licence was justified. However, it was also critical of Wyevale, saying that the company needed to "reassess (its) approach to wildlife problems".

Defra also found fault with the garden centre and the pest control company because they failed to think about "potential bird problems" during the recent refurbishment of the restaurant, even though similar problems had previously been identified, both in Thornbury and at another Wyevale garden centre in Swansea.

Commenting, Steve Webb MP said:

"Granting a licence to shoot these robins was clearly a major overreaction to a relatively minor issue. Wyevale should have ensured that birds could not fly into their restaurant when they refurbished it. The robins would then not have caused a problem in the first place.

"With a bit of thought, this situation could have been prevented. I hope that lessons have been learned."

Notes to editors:

1) Written answer to Steve Webb on 15 June:

Wyevale Garden Centre (Birds)

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason her Department granted a licence to Wyevale Garden Centre near Thornbury to shoot robins; and if she will make a statement. [176392]

Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 27 May 2004]: The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 makes provision for a system of licensing to allow certain persons to undertake actions against birds which would otherwise be illegal in terms of the Act. Section 16(1)(i) gives powers to the Secretary of State to grant licences for the purpose of preserving public health or public or air safety, subject to there being no other satisfactory solution.

An application was received by the Department to kill a small number of robins that were persistently fouling a cafeteria located within a garden centre. The application was considered by one of the Department's wildlife management advisers and based on the adviser's recommendation the licensing unit granted a licence to allow up to four robins to be killed to preserve public health and safety. An investigation of this case, showing that the shooting of the birds by a pest control company was legal and proper procedures were followed, was published on the Defra website on 11 June.

2) The report can be accessed at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/vertebrates/reports/robins-report.pdf