George Eustice, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), has confirmed that pest management is an essential sector during the Covid-19 pandemic
According to Defra, pest management is covered in the key worker list under the “food and necessary goods” section, specifically concerning hygiene.
While the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) and the National Pest Technicians Association (NPTA) had already confirmed that pest management workers could continue to provide essential services, this is the first time that a government official explicitly acknowledges pest management to be on the list of key workers.
Henry Mott, president of CEPA, received confirmation from his member of parliament, Alicia Kearns MP for Rutland and Melton, that she has had approval from Secretary of State, George Eustice MP.
Ian Andrew, chief executive of the BPCA, said: “We want to thank everyone that has taken the time to write to their MPs on the subject. It’s taken a substantial collaborative effort for our relatively small sector to get the ear of the UK government.”