§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the implications of the bans imposed by some water authorities and fishery owners on 23W the use by anglers of toxic lead shot for his plans to delay legislation on the use of such shot until 1987 at the earliest; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe Government propose to ban the sale and import of most lead for angling in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1987 if the voluntary approach has not worked by the end of the current coarse fishing season (15 March). The Nature Conservancy Council is monitoring the situation and will report to the Secretary of State on the effectiveness of these voluntary measures, following which a decision will be made on whether it is necessary to proceed with statutory regulations. This decision is a separate matter from any action water authorities may take.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department is monitoring the introduction of anglers' non-toxic lead shot; what information he has on the availability of cheap alternatives to toxic lead shot; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegraveYes. A number of satisfactory nontoxic alternatives to lead weights for angling are now available. Although these products are not as cheap as lead, they are all reusable.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue a national code of conduct within which water authorities and fishery owners can frame their bylaws in order to establish a uniform national framework on the use of non-toxic lead shot in angling.
§ Mr. WaldegraveAs part of the package of measures to help protect swans from poisoning by anglers' lead announced by the Government last July, my right hon. Friends the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary of State for Wales issued a draft model byelaw to aid water authorities in considering whether they wish to propose a ban on the use of anglers' lead in their area.