§ Lord Melchettasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many licences were issued to take grey seal pups and how many grey seal pups were taken under licence (a) in Orkney and (b) in the Hebrides during the 1981 season, and whether they will list the islands in Orkney and the Hebrides from which grey seal pups were authorised to be taken, and the numbers taken from each.
§ The Minister of State, Scottish Office (The Earl of Mansfield)The following is the information available:
Orkney Outer Hebrides Number of licences issued 8 2 Number of pups authorised to be taken 1,200 600 Number of pups taken 1,195 Nil The licences authorised the taking of not more than 1,200 pups in the Orkneys from Ruskholm, Wartholm, Faray and Faray Holm, Holms and Point of Spurness, Holm of Huip and Auskerry and not more than 600 pups in the Outer Hebrides from Gasker, Shillay, Coppay and the Monach Islands. The returns from the hunters indicate that the numbers taken from each island were Ruskholm 165, Faray and Faray Holm 500, Holms and Point of Spurness 316, Holm of Huip 169, and Auskerry 45. Bad weather prevented any hunting in the Outer Hebrides.