§ Dr. David Clarkasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) why his wildlife incident unit, having collected on 10 March seabirds found dead for no apparent reason on the seashore at South Shields, informed the hon. Member for South Shields on 12 March that autopsies were not possible on account of the delay since their collection;
(2) why his wildlife incident unit, having collected seabirds, which were found dead for no apparent reason, on the seashore of South Shields, refused to perform autopsies;
(3) why the seabirds found dead for no apparent reason on 8 March on the shore at South Shields and collected by his Department's wildlife incident unit on 10 March, were not autopsied at the Lasswade Laboratories.
§ Mr. Gummer[pursuant to his reply, 25 March 1986]: In accordance with normal procedures an autopsy was carried out at the Veterinary Investigation Centre, Longbenton, Newcastle upon Tyne on the sea birds found dead on the sea shore at South Shields. From the visual inspection there was nothing to indicate the cause of death. No useful bacteriological or biochemical examination was possible because of post-mortem changes in the internal organs.