§ Sir Adam Butlerasked the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) individual sheep and (b) flocks have had to be destroyed in Wales as a result of radioactivity from the Chernobyl fall-out.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsNo flocks have been destroyed as a result of radioactivity from the Chernobyl fall-out. Up to 19 July approximately 1,840 sheep had been slaughtered for the purpose of monitoring radiocaesium levels in sheepmeat in north Wales.
§ Mr. Wigleyasked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total number of sample tests undertaken by his Department in monitoring the level of radiocaesium in lambs in Gwynedd in each of the weeks since the Chernobyl disaster, analysed between the number taken in each of the districts of Arfon, Dwyfor, Meirionnydcl, Ynys Môn and Aberconwy.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsThe information is shown in the following table:
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsI refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Torridge and Devon, West (Sir P. Mills) on 24 July by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
§ Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the figures, both numerically and as a percentage of the whole, of those lambs that have been brought to market on Anglesey that have been rejected as over-fat following the lifting of the ban on sales for part of the island, giving the figures separately for each market.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsFrom 4 July to 24 July inclusive 10,222 lambs from the newly released areas were presented for certification at markets on Anglesey; 469 lambs (4.5 per cent.) were rejected as overfat, 268 of which were withdrawn from auction. Figures for individual markets cannot be given on the grounds of commercial confidentiality.
§ Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for Wales how many officials of his Department are present at each of the markets on Anglesey during sheep sales following the lifting of the ban on part of the island; what is their practice regarding giving instructions to the auctioneers; whether they identify themselves prior to the auction; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsAt least one official from my Department has been present at each of the livestock 689W markets where sheep have been sold on Anglesey since restrictions were first removed from parts of the island. My officials carry the necessary form of authority under the Food and Environment Act 1985, are well known to the auctioneers and work closely with them to ensure that sheep from within the areas where restrictions remain are not sold at the markets.
§ Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will now visit Anglesey in order to meet farmers who have been affected by the ban on sheep sales.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsFarmers from Anglesey were amongst those who made representations to me at the Royal Welsh Show on Tuesday 22 July. I am kept fully abreast of the current situation by my officials in the area. I have no plans at present to visit farmers on the island.
§ Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will state (a) the number of farmers and (b) the approximate number of sheep still subject to the ban on sales on Anglesey; what discussions he has had with them or their representatives about the problems of cash flow; if he will give consideration to making an interim payment of compensation to them pending determination of the final basis of compensation; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsAs a result of the latest derestriction on 24 July only 297 holdings and some 65,000 sheep remain within the designated area on Anglesey. On the question of compensation I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. hon. Friend the Member for Torridge and Devon, West (Sir P. Mills) on 24 July by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
§ Mr. Bestasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is now in a position to determine when the remaining part of Anglesey subject to the ban on sheep sales will be taken out of the ban; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Nicholas EdwardsI removed restrictions from a further part of Anglesey with effect from midnight on Thursday. Testing will continue with a view to removing restrictions from the remaining areas as soon as possible.