HL Deb 28 November 1979 vol 403 cc476-8WA
Lord MELCHETT

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the 12 seal pups captured live on Sweyn Holm, Orkney by two Dutch and one German scientists were taken under licence, and if so:

  1. (i) how many seal pups did the licence allow these scientists to capture;
  2. (ii) to what use did the licence or the application for the licence state the seal pups would be put;
  3. (iii) to what final destination or destinations were the seal pups to be taken after capture;
  4. (iv) were any methods of transporting these live seal pups specified in the application for the licence or by the Government when issuing the licence, and if so what;
  5. (v) was any minimum age or size for the pups to be taken specified in the application for the licence, or by the Government when issuing the licence, and if so, what;
  6. (vi) whether the two pups returned to the sea after capture were returned to the place where they had been taken before release, and if not, why not;

Whether they consider a small Fiat van a suitable vehicle for transporting 12 live seal pups weighing about 1 cwt each, and if not, why they issued licences which resulted in 12 pups being transported in this way, and in two of the pups dying in the van;

How many Licences have been issued by the relevant authorities in (i) Scotland and (ii) England and Wales permitting seals and seal pups to be captured alive in each of the last five years, how many seals and pups have in each case been taken alive, how many are known to have subsequently died, how many pups under approximately one month old have been returned to the sea, how many live seals and pups taken under licence have subsequently been exported from the United Kingdom, and for what purposes have any live seals or pups been exported; and

What changes in their licence procedure they are making to ensure that in future:

  1. (i) any seals taken under licence are captured and transported in ways that cause the minimum suffering possible;
  2. (ii) licences that permit the live capture of seals are issued only when the seal are required for scientific research which cannot be carried out in any other way, and which it is deemed necessary for the welfare of wild seals by the relevant scientific authorities in this country.

The MINISTER of STATE, SCOTTISH OFFICE (The Earl of Mansfield)

The pups in question were taken under a licence issued in October 1979 in terms of Section 10(1)(b) of the Conservation of Seals Act 1970, for zoological purposes. The licence authorised the taking of 12 live grey seal pups which were to be consigned to Kleve Zoo in West Germany. No conditions about the transport of the animals were specified in the licence since this is a matter governed by the Transit of Animals (General) Order 1973. The correspondence relating to the licence made it clear that large moulted pups were to be taken, although the licence itself incorrectly specified unmoulted pups: the pups selected were in fact large moulted pups of about five weeks old. Two pups died after being kept in the van overnight by the licensees. Following discussion with my department's veterinary adviser who was called in to inspect the consignment, and the van in which it was proposed they were to travel, the licensee released two further pups to the sea. These two pups were in a fit condition to be returned to the sea and were released at a convenient beach on the advice of the Government's scientific advisers. To have returned them to the island from which they were captured would have subjected them to additional unjustified stress.

In the light of these unfortunate events, it is clear that the original arrangements made by the licensees were less than adequate. I am assured however that the van was adequate to carry the eight pups which were taken to Germany. The licence which was issued to Kleve Zoo was the only licence issued under this provision in the last five years, in either Scotland or England and Wales. I am satisfied that no changes need be made in the purposes for which licences may be issued for the taking of seals as prescribed by Section 10 of the Conservation of Seals Act 1970. Any future applications will be dealt with on their merits, but my department will look for firm assurances from the applicants that the means of transport to be used will meet the requirements of the Transit of Animals Order. In addition the appropriate local authority will be advised of the detailed arrangements to enable them to arrange for any necessary supervision. Having regard to the fact that this was the first such licence to be issued in five years the lessons learned from this occurrence will be borne in mind in the future.