§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table of how many motor vehicles, what types and class, were imported as(a) new vehicles and (b) secondhand vehicles into Northern Ireland from the Irish Republic in each of the last five years; and what percentage of the total sales of (i) new vehicles and (ii) secondhand vehicles this represents in each class and type in each year, or as much of such information as is available to him.
§ Mr. Peter Bottomley[holding answer 19 April 1990]: The Department of Environment for Northern Ireland does not hold information about actual sales of new or second-hand vehicles.
The information set out in the tables relates to vehicles registered for the first time in Northern Ireland and vehicles imported as new or having previously been registered and used in the Republic of Ireland.
Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland and the Foyle Fisheries Commission over the last three years and the number of associated fish kills are as follows:
1987 1988 1989 Pollution incidents 995 1,001 903 Fish kills 33 27 57 Pollution investigations were also undertaken by environmental health (rivers) officers who act in conjunction with the fisheries bodes as required. We are unable to identify incidents directly attributable to the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland. For the 113W three years in question there were 39, 32 and 36 incidents respectively reported which involved sewage or water treatment works.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what research has been carried out into the stocks of brown trout in Lough Neagh over the past decade; and where the results of such research have been published.
§ Mr. Peter Bottomley[holding answer 19 April 1990]: None that I am aware of.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the stocks of brown trout in Lough Neagh are now higher or lower than was the case five years, 10 years and 15 years ago; and whether the size and weight of the fish has increased or decreased.
§ Mr. Peter Bottomley[holding answer 19 April 1990]: In the absence of any research into the stocks of brown trout in Lough Neagh and detailed catch statistics from fishermen, it is not possible to state whether the stocks of brown trout are now higher or lower than was the case five years, 10 years and 15 years ago or whether the size and weight of fish has increased or decreased.
The spawning record shows that there are fluctuations from year to year in the number of redds counted in the various tributaries of the Lough Neagh catchment, but as a general guide they do not indicate any long-term trend in the overall state of the stock.
A copy of the spawning record is provided at table V in the 1988 annual report of the Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland, a copy of which is available in the Library.