Fish Farming (Hansard, 28 June 1988)

§ Dr. Godman
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what provisions there are to monitor or regulate the environmental effects of pesticides used for the treatment of salmon lice which are licensed under the Medicines Act 1968; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Michael Forsyth
The possible impact on the safety of species other than the target species is taken into account when considering any application under the Medicines Act 1968, where it is proper to do so. Adverse reactions to the use of licensed veterinary medicines are routinely monitored and considered so that, where necessary, appropriate action could be taken.

§ Dr. Godman
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what provisions are made routinely to monitor the chemicals, used by fish farmers in the flesh of salmon; who 173W is responsible for such monitoring; where the results of such monitoring are published or available for scrutiny by members of the public; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Michael Forsyth
Responsibility for ensuring that food for sale to the public is wholesome rests with district and island councils under the terms of the Food and Drugs (Scotland) Act 1956. So far as I am aware, no routine monitoring of salmon for chemicals is carried out by local authorities but research work in this area is being carried out at both the Torry research station and marine laboratory. A survey is also being undertaken by the working party on veterinary residues in animal products, a sub-group of the interdepartmental steering group on food surveillance charged by Ministers with the function of keeping food contamination problems under review, assessing the needs for analytical surveys of food and, where appropriate, making arrangements for these surveys to be carried out. The report by the working party on veterinary residues in animal products will be published in due course.

§ Dr. Godman
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what extra resources are being made available by the river purification boards so that they can perform their statutory duties under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 in relation to the growth of the marine fish farming industry.

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
The river purification boards are responsible for determining the priorities for action in their areas and for setting the levels of their expenditure accordingly.

§ Dr. Godman
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received any recent representations regarding the decision of the Clyde River Purification Board not to issue consents for fish farms in its area; and if he will make a statement.

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
No such representations have been received. I shall, however, write to the hon. Member about this matter and arrange to place a copy of the letter in the Library.

§ Dr. Godman
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in theOfficial Report the number of consents for fish farms issued by each of the river purification boards in each of the past five years.

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
This information is not held centrally.

§ Dr. Godman
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the statutory provisions on the control of pollution from marine fish farms; if he has any plans to seek to amend this legislation; and if he will make a statement.

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
Provisions for preventing and controlling water pollution from any source are contained in the Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) (Scotland) Acts 1951 and 1965, part II of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 and part III of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985. The provisions of part II of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 are under review.