§ Mr. Simon Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department accepts the conclusions of the Natural Environment Research Council report, "Interactions Between Grey Seals and United Kingdom Fisheries," published in 1984; what research is currently being carried out on interactions between grey seals and fisheries by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. John MacKayThe report itself suggests that the findings should be interpreted with caution because of the complex nature of the questions addressed, with consequent difficulty in arriving at firm conclusions. The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland regards the report as contributing usefully to the fund of knowledge in this area. Research work now being undertaken by the Department includes studies into the diet of seals and the effectiveness of scaring devices.
§ Mr. Simon Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland by whom, and where, research projects funded by his Department on (a) the ecology of the grey seal or (b) interactions between grey seals and commercial fisheries, are being carried out; and over what period of time in each case.
§ Mr. John MacKayThe Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland is not currently funding research projects on the ecology of the grey seal.
The Department's scientists are carrying out a programme of research into the interaction between grey seals and commercial fisheries. In addition the Department is funding two research projects: a three-year contract with the university of Aberdeen, and a one year contract with the marine resources assessment group of the Imperial College of Science and Technology.
§ Mr. Simon Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the levels of expenditure for each of the last five years, including the current financial year, allocated by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland for research into (a) the ecology of the grey seal and (b) interactions between the grey seal with commercial fisheries.
§ Mr. John MacKayThe levels of expenditure allocated by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland for research into the interaction between grey seals and commercial fisheries for each of the last five years are as follows:
£ 1982–83 73,894 1983–84 1,755 1984–85 9,817 1985–86 34,260 1 1986–87 78,250 1 Estimated. The Department has allocated no funds over the last five years for research specifically on the ecology of the grey seal.