§ Sir John Biggs-Davisonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has about the current size of the rabbit population and about the trend in its growth.
§ Mrs. FennerThe latest estimate available suggests that the present rabbit population in England and Wales is about 20 million. Without a greater control effort by occupiers of land, increased resistance to myxomatosis is likely to lead to an upward trend in rabbit numbers.
94W
Total cost of teachers' salaries* Year on year increase per cent. in cost per teacher Teachers salaries as per cent. of total institutional expenditure Cash terms £ million Real terms† £ million Cash terms per cent. Real terms† Per cent. Per cent. 1978–79 2,588 4,607 — — 69.3 1979–80 2,926 4,457 +12.9 -3.4 68.7 1980–81 3,700 4,746 +28.3 +8.0 70.2
§ Sir John Biggs-Davisonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made of the scope for promoting an increase in the human consumption of rabbits as an alternative to pest control methods for the restriction of the rabbit population.
§ Mrs. FennerI do not regard human consumption of wild rabbits as a sufficient means of population control, or as a true alternative to the control of the species as a pest. The surplus over any given consumption level is properly regarded as a pest population. Nor is my Department authorised to promote the consumption of one type of meat in preference to another.