HL Deb 09 March 1971 vol 316 c47WA
LORD VIVIAN

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will take further steps to bring to the notice of all concerned with forestry in Scotland that it is a crime to spread myxomatosis deliberately, and further whether they will give publicity to the more humanitarian ways of controlling rabbits.

BARONESS TWEEDSMUIR OF BELHELVIE

I have no reason to think that the ban on the deliberate spreading of myxomatosis imposed by Section 12 of the Pests Act 1954 is insufficiently known to those concerned with forestry in Scotland. The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland has given considerable publicity in recent years to humane and legal methods of rabbit control and will continue to ensure that advisory leaflets on this subject are available and that any new or improved methods of control are made known to farmers.