Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information his Department holds on the inability of the email account birds2019@naturalengland.org.uk to accept applications for individual licences for pest control on the 25 April 2019.

Dr Thérèse Coffey, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment: Natural England has explained to me that action was taken once it was apparent there were technical issues with birds2019@naturalengland.org.uk. All issues were resolved within three hours.