§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research the Government are sponsoring into the effects of pesticide residues on British wildlife.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyA number of Government grant-aided bodies are undertaking or have commissioned research projects on the effect of pesticide residues on British wildlife. For example, a joint Nature Conservancy Council (NCC)/Vincent Wildlife Trust project on the effects of pesticide residues in otters is being undertaken by the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology (ITE); the sea mammal research unit of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is conducting similar research on the effects on seals, and the NCC has commissioned research from NERC on the effects of pollution on birds.
I am also advised that the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is currently sponsoring a number of projects including:
Methods of assessing the effects of pesticides on wildlife. Indirect effects of pesticides on wildlife.The economic and ecological effect of pest, disease and weed control in intensively produced cereals.The ecological and economic effects of pest, disease, weed control and fertiliser inputs in crop rotations.Deposition, activity and fate of agrochemicals applied to crops.Invertebrate fauna of cereal fields.Small mammal studies.Cereal pest—predator interactions.Spatial and temporal consequences of the effects of insecticides on the non-target invertebrate fauna of winter wheat.In addition, pesticides residues in wildlife are monitored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food working party on pesticide residues and all reported incidents suspected of involving pesticide poisoning in England and Wales are investigated under the wildlife incident scheme.