§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the projects relating to research into paralytic shellfish poisoning and associated problems to which his Department has contributed in the last three years or plans to support in the present financial year; and if he will indicate the amount contributed or to be contributed in each case.
§ Sir Hector MonroTwo projects relating to research into paralytic shellfish poisoning—PSP for short—and associated problems are undertaken at my Department's marine laboratory, Aberdeen. They are:
- 1. Monitoring of algal blooms and microbiological factors in respect of fish and shellfish monitoring.
- 2. Nitrogen cycling in coastal ecosystems.
The full economic costs met, or to be met, by my Department between April 1989 and March 1993 amount to £132,000 for the PSP toxin monitoring component of the first project, and £1.321 million for the second project which deals with the basic processes which give rise to algal blooms.