§ 44. Mrs. Joyce Butlerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what report he has received from his scientists in regard to the recent deaths 432 of seals off Cornwall; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HoyFollowing a request from a local veterinary surgeon, my Department's Veterinary Investigation Laboratory at Truro undertook post mortems on several seal carcases washed ashore in Cornwall. Their diagnosis revealed a condition consistent with death from natural causes, notably starvation and septicaemia. There was no evidence of contamination with any toxic substances. The findings have been passed to the Natural Environment Research Council, whose seals unit has this matter in hand.
§ Mrs. ButlerIs my hon. Friend aware that, despite these assurances, responsible observers are still convinced that there is something fishy about the seals and that this concern will not be allayed until a body with the standing of the Emergency Committee, co-ordinating Departments, has examined every aspect of the situation to establish whether pollution could have been in any way responsible and, if so, where it comes from?
§ Mr. HoyMy hon. Friend should not be misled by reports which appeared in last weekend's Press. Investigations have proved that that report and what we have found, which is absolutely certified, have nothing in common. It is true that a scientist of the National Environmental Research Council has invesigated the death of the seals in the past few days, but I have nothing to add to what I have already said about the findings.
§ Mr. Fletcher-CookeIs it not rather strange that this happens at the same time as the vast numbers of deaths of birds and fishes?
§ Mr. HoyIt is rather remarkable. Many of our scientists think that it has been a particularly bad time from a weather point of view, and that this may have had something to do with it.