Rodents

Mr. Pickles
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he plans to publish the latest English Condition Survey data on rodent presence in domestic dwellings.

Huw Irranca-Davies
My Department has published on its website the latest report on rodent presence in domestic properties as revealed by the English House Condition Survey data for 2002-03 and 2003-04. Key findings are that the occurrences of rats inside and outside properties in these years are not significantly different from those observed in 2001.

Mrs. Spelman
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the size of the rat population in the country.

Huw Irranca-Davies
My Department does not hold data on the size of the UK rat population. However, the latest report on rodent presence in domestic properties as revealed by the English House Condition Survey data for 2002-03 and 2003-04 is now available on DEFRA’s website. Key findings are that the occurrences of rats inside and outside properties in these years are not significantly different from those observed in 2001.