Funding Knowsley Safari Foundation to kill grey squirrels

The request was successful.

Dear The National Lottery Heritage Fund,

can you please state:
1 - The terms and conditions on which you gave a grant to Knowsley Safari Foundation to help red squirrels through Reclaiming Reds.
2 The sum that was awarded and the duration of the project.
2 - Whether you were aware at the time that the grant was awarded that the money would be spent, among other things, on killing grey squirrels.
3 - If so, what proportion of the grant was designated for killing grey squirrels.
3 - Whether you are currently funding any projects on non-lethal population control of grey squirrels, i.e. the oral contraceptive (Gonacon) project by Defra and the genetic modification project by the Roslin Institute.

Yours faithfully,
Natalia Doran
Urban Squirrels
www.urbansquirrels.co.uk

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The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Website: heritagefund.org.uk
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Freedom Of Information,

Dear Natalia Doran,

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request on 3 January 2022 in which you requested to see information on Knowsley Safari Foundation's Reclaiming Reds project.

We have now completed our search for the information you requested. Please see our responses to your request below.

1. The terms and conditions on which you gave a grant to Knowsley Safari Foundation to help red squirrels through Reclaiming Reds.

This information is available online at: www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/knowsley_.... The terms and conditions of the grant can be found attached to our communication dated 26 February 2021 in the Grant notification letter under 'correspondence'. Under Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act - Information accessible elsewhere, a public body does not have to release information if it can be reasonably accessed through another means.

2. The sum that was awarded and the duration of the project.

We awarded £99,900 to Knowsley Safari Foundation for the Reclaiming Reds project in February 2020. The Grant Expiry Date is 30 September 2022.

3. Whether you were aware at the time that the grant was awarded that the money would be spent, among other things, on killing grey squirrels.

Yes, we were aware prior to funding being awarded.

4. If so, what proportion of the grant was designated for killing grey squirrels.

There is no specific designated cost in the project's costs breakdown. The agreed costs for the project, which include a proportion of new staff salary for grey squirrel control and control equipment and materials, are detailed in Appendix 1 of the Grant notification letter (linked above).

5. Whether you are currently funding any projects on non-lethal population control of grey squirrels, i.e. the oral contraceptive (Gonacon) project by Defra and the genetic modification project by the Roslin Institute.

After looking through our systems and records we have not identified any current projects involving the non-lethal population control of grey squirrels.

I hope you find this information useful but if you do have any other questions please do let me know.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your request and wish to request an internal review of our decision please contact [email address]. If you were then not content with the outcome of the internal review you have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner's Office (https://ico.org.uk/).

Kind regards,

Georgia

FOI Team

The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Our main telephone number: 0207 591 6000
Website: heritagefund.org.uk

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