§ Dr. David Clarkasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the total number of incidents involving the misuse of poisons or stupefying substances on wildlife which have been reported to his Department in each of the last two years; for each of those totals what was the number of cases which were referred to the police or the procurator fiscal for investigation; and of those investigations, what was the number which resulted in legal proceedings, and the outcome of those proceedings.
§ Mr. John MacKayIn the years 1985 and 1986, 32 and 27 incidents involving the misuse of poisons or stupefying substances were reported to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland. The police were involved in four cases in each of the two years. Legal proceedings followed in one case each year; a conviction was obtained only in the 1986 case.