§ Mr. BowisTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance he has given to efforts to save birdlife in the Gulf area; and if he will make a statement on progress with these efforts.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI refer my hon. Friend to the reply my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire) on 15 February at col.609. The main aim of the visit of the RSPCA team to the Gulf was to train local volunteers in the techniques of cleaning oil-contaminated seabirds. Nevertheless, the RSPCA team treated more than 500 birds in Saudi Arabia during their time there.