§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has regarding the current population of capercaillie; and if he has any plans to arrest their decline.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 18 October 1989]: I am informed that on the best available estimate, the current population of capercaillie is in excess of 2,000 birds. However, as the species is not censused over its entire range, the exact figure is not known. The Forestry Commission has recently funded a three-year research contract with the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology. This study is investigating how capercaillie use non-native 64W coniferous plantations and will aim to produce guidelines on ways in which the quality of plantations can be improved to provide a better habitat for the species.