RELEASE OF GREY SQUIRRELS

That this House commends the work of the European Squirrels Initiative in saving red squirrels; notes with concern that the number of grey squirrels re-released into the wild, under licences granted by Natural England, has reached 257 over the last 18 months; condemns Natural England for breaking section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 without regard for Britain's native red squirrel population; and calls on the Government to take urgent action to prevent further decline of the red squirrel population in the UK.