§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in theOfficial Report, in respect of each year since the coming into force of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, the number of reported incidents involving the misuse of poisons or stupefying substances against wildlife, the number of each wildlife species involved, the number of such cases referred to the police or procurator fiscal for investigation, the number of investigations which resulted in legal proceedings and the outcome of those proceedings.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe numbers of incidents, affected species and cases referred to the police or procurator fiscal involving the misuse of poisons or stupefying substances against wildlife in Scotland, as confirmed by the wildlife incident investigation service, in each of the years from 1981 to date are given in the table. The table includes statistics of incidents of poisoned bait being laid where the victims were domestic animals or there were no reported victims, since poisoned bait is usually targeted against wildlife pests. No statistics of legal proceedings by category of offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 are available centrally.
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Number of incidents Number of each species Year wildlife Domestic Animals No. Victim Number of cases referred to police or PF Corvids 4 Gulls 3 1982 23 5 4 Eagles 6 Domestic Animals 6 1 Buzzards 19 Peregrine Falcons 2 Corvids 36 Gulls 4 Pigeons 6 Song Birds 6 Badger 1 1983 24 12 8 Buzzards 19 18 Sparrow Hawk 1 Corvids 94 Gulls 12 Song Birds 2 Foxes 3 Badgers 4 Domestic Animals 15 1984 10 12 2 Eagles 2 Domestic Animals 17 Buzzards 4 Perigrine Falcon 1 Tawny Owl 1 Corvids 10 Gulls 4 Pigeons 4 Song Birds 8 1985 20 8 4 Eagles 3 4 Buzzards 9 Sparrow Hawk 1 Corvids 12 Gulls 18 Pigeon 1 Foxes 2 Domestic Animals 13 1986 19 6 2 Eagle 1 Fox 1 4 Buzzards 10 Domestic Animals 13 Sparrow Hawks 2 Kestrel 1 Herons 6 Corvids 4 Gull 1 Pigeons 2 1987 23 8 7 Eagles 2 5 Buzzards 9 Corvids 40 Gulls 3 Pigeons 2 Song Birds 3 Domestic Animals 9 1988 16 4 6 Eagles 4 Domestic Animals 5 11 Buzzards 6 Tawny Owls 2 Corvids 27 Gulls 5 Pigeons 2 Song Birds 10 Fox 1
§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice he has provided to local authorities and land owners, under section 17 of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985, concerning the use of pesticides and their effects on wild birds.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythDrafts of codes of practice prepared under the provisions of section 17 of the Food
392Wand Environment Protection Act 1985 have been circulated to interested bodies, including the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the Scottish Landowners Federation and the National Farmers Union of Scotland, with aview to codes being laid before Parliament in due course. The draft code on the agricultural and commercial 393W horticultural use of pesticides provides advice on the safe use of pesticides, including measures to be taken to protect wildlife.
§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has as to what advice or publicity local authorities have provided to the public under section 25(1) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, on the legal provisions concerning the poisoning of wild birds.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythMy Department has drawn local authorities' attention to their responsibilities under section 25(1) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. I have, however, no information as to the advice or publicity which local authorities may have provided to the public under the provisions of that section.