§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many blue-marked sheep in England were monitored under the mark and release scheme of January to March 1987 and found to be suitable for release into the food chain;
(2) how many sheep and lambs destined for further fattening were marked with blue paint by or on behalf of his Department in England in 1986 and until the formal mark and release monitoring scheme was introduced in January 1987.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonJust under 5,000 sheep were marked with blue paint on leaving the Cumbria designated area on or before 21 December 1986, after which date the colour used for marking purposes was changed from blue to apricot. The blue mark identified such sheep as ineligible for slaughter. It is not possible to say how many of those so marked would have been destined for further fattening.
The agreement whereby the owners of the blue marked sheep could apply to have them monitored/remonitored 145W for radioactivity was introduced on 18 December 1986. Between 18 December 1986 and 27 February 1987 on which date all remaining blue marked sheep were released from slaughter restrictions, almost 14,000 blue marked sheep were monitored. All but eight were found to be suitable for immediate release to the food chain and even those eight were found to be suitable on subsequent monitoring. The sheep monitored under this arrangement will have included a number of animals marked blue on leaving the Scottish and Welsh designated areas.
Sheep monitored in England: 1 September 1986 to 31 October 1987 1986 County1 September October November December Buckinghamshire — — — — Cheshire — — — — Cleveland — — — — Cumbria2 5,237 14,240 7,440 2,188 Derbyshire — — — 36 Devon — — — 530 Durham — — — — Essex — — — — Hampshire — — — — Hereford/Worcestershire — — — — Humberside (North) — — — — Isle of Wight — — — — Kent — — — — Lancashire — — — 379 Lincolnshire — — — 41 Norfolk — — — — Northamptonshire — — — — Northumberland — — — 78 Nottinghamshire — — — 1 Oxfordshire — — — — Shropshire — — — — Somerset — — — — Yorkshire (North) — — — — Yorkshire (West) — — — — Total 5,237 14,240 7,440 3,253 1 No sheep have been monitored in counties not included in the list. 2 Two survey exercises were carried out inside or close to the restricted area in Cumbria: in April/May 1987, 2023 sheep were monitored, in July/August 1987, 960 sheep were monitored. These figures are not included in the monthly table, but should be added to the table.
1987 County1 January February March April May June July August September October3 Bucks 847 — — — — — — — — — Cheshire 843 566 — — — — — — — — Cleveland 142 119 — — — — — — — — Cumbria2 2,994 2,262 2,101 1,830 2,676 2,320 993 2,795 16,024 25,907 DerDy — — — — — — — — — — Devon 384 — — — — — — — — — Durham — 189 — — — — — — — — Essex 102 — — — — — — — — — Hampshire 103 — — — — — — — — — Here/Worcs 11 — — — — — — — — — Humberside (N) 245 — — — — — — — — — Isle of Wight — 92 — — — — — — — — Kent — — — — —. 216 — — — — Lancs 801 459 — — — — — — 104 — Lincoln — 32 — — — — — — — — Norfolk — 79 — — — — — — — — Northants — — — — — — — — — 7 Northumberland 966 — — — — — — — — — Notts — — — — — — — — — — Oxford — 112 — — — — — — — — Shropshire 1,309 787 — — — — — — — — Somerset 299 — — — — — — — — — Yorks (North) 576 100 — — — — — — — — Yorks (West) 1,427 — — — — — — — — — 11,049 4,797 2,101 1,830 2,676 2,536 993 2,795 16,128 25,914