§ Dr. John Cunninghamasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish the results of the analyses of dead birds and other wildlife carried out in his Department's laboratories in England and Wales in 1979, 1980 and 1981 showing which, if any, died of mevinphos poisoning, listing the numbers of each species thus killed; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. FennerI refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave him on 25 March.—[Vol.20, c 411.] The information requested is as follows:
1979 1980 1981 Total incidents of alleged poisoning of birds and mammals by pesticides of all kinds 192 190 243 Confirmed incidents involving misuse of mevinphos 20 30 38 210W
1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 Total Beef destroyed — — — — — — — — — otherwise disposed of — 179 74 10,797 5,868 10,161 11,904 8,267 47,250 Butter destroyed — — — — — — — — — otherwise disposed of 9,033 11,868 — 7,855 14,653 16,741 30,634 45,627 136,411 Skimmed Milk Powder destroyed — — — — — — — — — otherwise disposed of — 311 19,533 59,132 10,146 56,219 66,880 1,217 213,438
1979 1980 1981 Species and numbers identified in confirmed mevinphos incidents Birds Red Kites 1 — — Marsh Harriers 1 — — Hen Harriers — 1 — Buzzards 1 2 3 Sparrowhawks — — 1 Kestrels 1 3 1 Corvids *17 44 *17 Gulls — 1 *1 Pigeons *5 — 9 Game Birds 22 4 *†51 Song Birds 4 1 *†328 Other Birds Mammals — 1 — Dogs 1 3 12 Cats 11 12 8 Ferrets — — 1 Foxes 9 6 20 Badgers — 3 — Stoats *1 — — Other Mammals 3 — 2 * Estimated. † 50 pheasants and over 200 finches included in these figures resulted from one incident.