Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is planning to take to improve the management of ragwort. [168262]

Mr Heath, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food [holding answer 10 September 2013]: Responsibility for ragwort control rests with land owners and occupiers, who are expected to adhere to Ragwort Code of Practice (2003). Where the code has not been adhered to, Natural England will investigate complaints and take any appropriate enforcement action. My ministerial colleague, the Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Newbury (Richard Benyon), wrote to over 500 public bodies in February this year reminding them of their responsibilities under the code.

DEFRA is currently working with interested parties to establish what more can be done to encourage ragwort control; this includes improving the current evidence base, as well as considering various options for streamlining the complaint process.

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