Sir G. Lloydasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total charge to individuals for rabbit clearance by the authorities in the last financial year; and how many rabbits were accounted for in the total charge.
§ Mr. MaclayThe total charge to individuals for rabbit clearance carried out during the last financial year by direction of Agricultural Executive Committees under Section 41 of the Agriculture (Scotland) Act, 1948, as £3,355 12s. 5d. The number of rabbits accounted for in this period cannot be ascertained since rabbits destroyed by gassing, the method principally employed, are not recovered.
Sir G. Lloydasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many rabbit trappers are employed, and on what terms, by the agricultural executive committees in Scotland; what were their total wages for the last financial year; how many rabbits these trappers accounted for in the period; and what is the cost per rabbit.
§ Mr. MaclayRabbit trappers are employed by the Department of Agriculture for Scotland on a casual basis, as 29W and when their services are necessary to carry out rabbit clearance which Agricultural Executive Committees have directed under Section 41 of the Agriculture (Scotland) Act, 1948, following on the failure of the occupier concerned to do the work. On 15th June only one rabbit trapper was so employed. Trappers' wages are fixed with due regard to wage rates prevailing in the district of employment and to the allowances for travelling and subsistence to which trappers are entitled under the appropriate Treasury rules.
Up to the first four months of the last financial year trappers were employed at rates including expenses and cost of materials or on a contract basis. The total wages for the last financial year cannot therefore be stated separately. The total amount paid to trappers for wages, allowances and materials in 1958–59 was £2,886 3s. They were employed in 32 cases. The total number of rabbits accounted for in this period cannot be ascertained and it is therefore not possible to calculate the cost per rabbit destroyed.