§ Mr. Dewarasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he has had any advice from the seals advisory council that the agreed programme to control grey seals in the Orkney Islands area should be abandoned or substantially modified; what representations he has had on the same subject from the fishing industry; and what representations on the scientific evidence he has received from the Greenpeace organisation in the light of the specific invitation to comment issued by his predecessor as Secretary of State in his statement published on 16 October 1978;
(2) if he has now authorised a further cull of grey seals in the area of the Orkney Islands; if so, who is responsible for carrying it out; how many seals, pup and adult, respectively, are to be killed; and how these figures compare with the cull in 1978.
§ Mr. YoungerI have received representations about the control of grey seals from the council for nature's grey seals group, on which the Greenpeace organisation is represented, following the invitation issued by my predecessor to such bodies last year to submit any evidence which they wish to present. These representations are being considered by my Department and the Natural Environment Research Council. They were discussed by the council's seals advisory committee at a meeting on 22 May which was attended by representatives of the council for nature's grey seals group.
I have as yet made no decision on the culling of seals this year.