§ Mr. Farrasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what was the total cost involved in trials in Bedfordshire this summer in the use of stupefying baits to control woodpigeons;
(2) over how many days the trials in Bedfordshire, involving the use of stupefying baits to control woodpigeons, took place this summer; and what were the numbers of woodpigeons taken thereby.
§ Mr. John MackieApproximately £980 of which £170 represents the cost of bait and £810 the cost of direction and supervision including all overheads such as travelling and subsistence costs and office expenses. The time of the farmers who participated in these trials has not been included.
The trials were spread over 60 days during the course of which 1,393 woodpigeons were caught and humanely killed.