§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the regulations and controls that over the export or re-export of wild birds; and, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Glanford and Scunthorpe (Mr. Morley) of 26 June,Official Report, column 498, how many of the imported wild birds are subsequently re-exported.
§ Mr. MacleanThe Transit of Animals (General) Order 1973, as amended, lays down a number of general measures designed to safeguard the welfare of a wide variety of animals, including captive birds, during their transportation to, from or within Great Britain.
Animal health conditions for the export or re-export of captive birds are laid down by the veterinary authorities of the countries of destination and it would be impracticable to publish in the Official Report the numerous export health certificates which exist.
Controls under CITES and the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976 are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.
The Ministry has no information on the number of imported captive birds which are subsequently re-exported.
§ Mrs. Ann TaylorTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many white-fronted Amazon372W parrots were imported into the United Kingdom in 1988; and what proportion died either in transit or while in quarantine;
(2) how many crimson seed-cracker species of wild bird were imported into the United Kingdom in 1988; and what proportion suffered mortality either in transit or while in quarantine.
§ Mr. MacleanInformation on mortality in birds imported into Great Britain is given in the Ministry's publications "Importation of Birds—Mortality Statistics from Quarantine Returns", copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
In 1988, 489 white-fronted Amazons (Amazona albifrons) were imported, of which 376 were dead on arrival or died in quarantine. The figures for crimson seedcracker (Pyrenestes sanquineus) were 20 and 19 respectively.
§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he has received from the veterinary investigations service concerning the importation and quarantine of wild-caught birds; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacleanThe veterinary investigations service is not directly involved in advising on the health conditions under which captive birds are imported and quarantined. Its role in this respect is to report to the state veterinary service the outcome of tests on the carcases of birds submitted for post-mortem examination as required by the terms of import licences.