Close Menu
Pest MagazinePest Magazine
  • News
    • National Pest Awards
    • BPCA
    • NPTA
    • Companies
    • Local Authority
    • Natural England
    • HSE
    • People
    • Products
    • Best Practice
    • Brexit
    • COVID-19
  • Species
    • Rodents
    • Insects
    • Birds
    • Mammals
  • Magazines
    • June/July 2025
    • April / May 2025
    • Feb / March 2025
    • Dec 2024 / Jan 2025
    • Oct / Nov 2024
    • Aug / Sept 2024
  • Library
    • Inserts
    • Supplements
  • Professional Development
    • BASIS
    • Research
    • Stewardship
    • Training
  • Pest Test
  • Jobs
    • View All Jobs
  • Key Supporters
    • Bábolna Bio
    • Bell Laboratories
    • Pelsis
    • Envu
    • Lodi UK
    • PelGar International
    • Russell IPM
    • Syngenta
X (Twitter) LinkedIn
  • Sign-up for weekly news emails
  • Subscribe to Pest Magazine
  • About Us
    • Technical Advisory Board
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
X (Twitter) LinkedIn
Pest Test Log-In
Pest MagazinePest Magazine
  • News
    • National Pest Awards
    • BPCA
    • NPTA
    • Companies
    • Local Authority
    • Natural England
    • HSE
    • People
    • Products
    • Best Practice
    • Brexit
    • COVID-19
  • Species
    1. Rodents
    2. Insects
    3. Birds
    4. Mammals
    5. View All

    Helping a luxury car showroom eradicate an infestation and steer clear of rodents

    25 March 2024

    Case Study – Freeing a pig farm of a severe rodent infestation in just 10 days

    11 May 2023

    Chinese takeaway issues apology after video of rats and raw chicken emerges

    14 July 2021

    Republic of Ireland rodent callouts jump 35%

    25 June 2021

    13 confirmed sightings of yellow-legged hornets so far in 2025

    13 May 2025

    Red Spider Mites on the hunt for spaces to hibernate

    3 December 2024

    Rentokil encourages vigilance as wasp activity increases ahead of the early autumn nesting period

    25 September 2024

    Rentokil warns of a surge in biting insects as humid weather continues

    3 September 2024

    Worcester City Council increases budget to control gull numbers by £35,000

    26 October 2022

    BPCA urges householders and businesses to seek professional advice if birds are becoming a problem

    3 May 2022

    NatureScot restricts the use of general licences on Lochan Estate in Perthshire

    7 February 2022

    Natural Resources Wales confirms Welsh general licence extension until June 2022

    17 December 2021

    Conservation charity warns of need for joined-up approach and a fast-track to effective grey squirrel controls

    30 May 2025

    Squirrel charity welcomes new legislation on use of gene editing

    14 June 2022

    Ferrets to be removed as permitted target species for the DOC 250 spring trap

    13 April 2021

    Charity says planting of 30,000 hectares of trees must be matched by grey squirrel control

    10 February 2021

    Conservation charity warns of need for joined-up approach and a fast-track to effective grey squirrel controls

    30 May 2025

    13 confirmed sightings of yellow-legged hornets so far in 2025

    13 May 2025

    Red Spider Mites on the hunt for spaces to hibernate

    3 December 2024

    Rentokil encourages vigilance as wasp activity increases ahead of the early autumn nesting period

    25 September 2024
  • Magazines
    1. June/July 2025
    2. April / May 2025
    3. Feb / March 2025
    4. Dec 2024 / Jan 2025
    5. Oct / Nov 2024
    6. Aug / Sept 2024
    Featured

    Pest 99: June/July 2025

    By Simon King10 June 2025
    Recent

    Pest 99: June/July 2025

    10 June 2025

    Pest 98: April / May 2025

    8 April 2025

    Pest 97: February / March 2025

    12 February 2025
  • Library
    • Inserts
    • Supplements
  • Professional Development
    • BASIS
    • Research
    • Stewardship
    • Training
  • Pest Test
  • Jobs
    • View All Jobs
  • Key Supporters
    • Bábolna Bio
    • Bell Laboratories
    • Pelsis
    • Envu
    • Lodi UK
    • PelGar International
    • Russell IPM
    • Syngenta
Pest MagazinePest Magazine
Birds

Natural England announces outcome of General Licences consultation

Helen RibyBy Helen Riby22 January 2015No Comments4 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

On 16 September 2014, Natural England published its response to the wide-ranging consultation seeking views on potential adjustments to General Licences for protected species.

These licences are periodically reviewed and this year’s consultation has sought views on 65 separate questions: 46 relating to specific proposals that Natural England was making and 19 where Natural England was seeking information rather than proposing a licence change. 

Only a small proportion of these proposals for consultation were relevant to professional pest controllers.

The Natural England release said:

The proposals we have put forward have asked legitimate questions about what the Licences should cover, and this extensive consultation has been vital in helping develop our understanding of how these proposals might work practically.

The consultation finished on 19 May and attracted over 2,000 responses. These have now been fully evaluated, and at its meeting held on 16 July 2014, Natural England’s Board considered how each of the questions in the consultation should be taken forward.

  

Natural England

25 proposals have been well supported and the Board members were confident that these were the right changes to make in the interests of the effective and safe management of wildlife. For the other questions and proposals – including those at 2b and 31, which have attracted widespread public interest – the case for change has not been sufficiently made. It is important that amendments to General Licences provide confidence, certainty and clarity, and the consultation has established that in some areas there is not a broad consensus that the suggested changes will provide that. In light of the detailed feedback received, the Board has therefore determined that these questions and proposals should not be adopted.

Andrew Sells, Natural England’s chairman, commented: “I am extremely grateful to the 2,000 individuals and organisations who have contributed to this year’s consultation exercise, whether on the specific proposals or the more general questions. Their views have been invaluable, and their inputs will help us to continue to ensure that the General Licence framework remains sensible, proportionate, and fit for purpose.”

To read Natural England’s summary report in full click.

Pest notes that, despite this upbeat release, on careful examination of the summary decision document, a large number of the proposals have not been answered one way or another. The Board decision just reads: To consider the feedback in detail before any changes to the current licensing. So we are no further forward and no indication is given as to timescale for this ‘consideration’ to be completed.

Proposals 2b* and 31# (mentioned in the release above) refer to:

2b* whether robin, pied wagtail and starling should be added to the General Licence to enable people to act quickly where the birds are causing genuine health and safety problems (e.g. in the past they have nested in hospital ventilation ducts posing infection risks). The Board determined that question 2b) should not be pursued further.

Note: these birds can be captured and released under the now amended Food premises Class Licence (Proposal 6)

31# Natural England also consulted on a proposal to amend the wording in the General Licence reflecting the legal requirement that shooting under General Licence can only take place when there is “no other satisfactory solution”. The Board has determined not to include the revised wording in the General Licence.

Note: this became known as, and was widely reported as, the ‘shoo before you shoot’ proposal in the agricultural press. Not including it has been well received by the agricultural industry.

Watch-out for a more detailed review of what has changed, as far as pest controllers are concerned, in the next edition of Pest magazine, due out in October.

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleA one million euro research fund is all set to benefit public health pest control
Next Article What was new in the exhibition at Parasitec?
Helen Riby

Read Similar Stories

Worcester City Council increases budget to control gull numbers by £35,000

BPCA urges householders and businesses to seek professional advice if birds are becoming a problem

NatureScot restricts the use of general licences on Lochan Estate in Perthshire

Latest Stories

BPCA to host online debate on behavioural resistance in rats and mice

3 July 2025

Pelsis launches new durable, poison-free silverfish trap to support pest professionals tackle persistent infestations

2 July 2025

Killgerm hosts another successful “On the Farm Day” at Hurcott Farm

1 July 2025
Key Supporters
© 2025 Lewis Business Media. All Rights Reserved.
Lewis Business Media, Suite A, Arun House, Office Village, River Way, Uckfield, TN22 1SL

Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions

  • National Pest Awards
  • OvertheCounter
  • Pet Business World

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.