Written Question

Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to tackle ragwort on public property; and what guidance it has provided to local authorities on the subject. [293492]

Member Answering Question: Huw Irranca-Davies MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, DEFRA:

Answer: DEFRA has published a Code of Practice on How to Prevent the Spread of Ragwort. The Code provides comprehensive guidance on how to develop a strategic and cost-effective approach to weed control. It is intended for use by all landowners and occupiers but is particularly relevant for large-scale organisations managing significant land areas, including local authorities and public bodies who are primarily responsible for the control of Common Ragwort on their land.

DEFRA also has an enforcement procedure under the Weeds Act 1959 for investigating complaints about the injurious weeds specified in the Act, including Common Ragwort.

Under this procedure, complaints about the spread of injurious weeds are prioritised. Natural England (on DEFRA’s behalf) investigates complaints where weeds are threatening to spread to land used for: keeping or grazing horses and other livestock; farmland used to produce conserved forage; or other agricultural land activities, and the complainant has already made reasonable efforts to contact the landowner or occupier where the weeds are growing.

The Ragwort Code of Practice and details of the complaints procedure can be found on DEFRA’s website.