§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of reported incidents of poisoning of(a) birds, (b) wild animals and (c) household pets by illegal baits in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacleanThe current figures for England and Wales for 1990 are as follows:
Total number of incidents of suspected poisoning reported was 343 Numbers reported Confirmed involvement of pesticides Illegal poisonings by pesticides Birds 132 50 37 Wild animals 102 15 11 Household pets 96 40 31 Note: Animals from more than one category may be involved in a single incident.
In addition, there were 16 suspected illegal poison baits reported. Of these, nine were confirmed as illegal baits.
The hon. Member will be pleased to know that a long-term campaign against the illegal poisoning of wildlife has been launched today. It is a joint initiative by this Department together with the other Agriculture Departments, the Department of Environment, and many non-government organisations which have interests in farming, gamekeeping and conservation. It will give a clear message—that the practice is cruel, dangerous, a threat to wildlife, and unnecessary.
To back up the campaign we will be co-ordinating the efforts of enforcement agencies; ensuring that those landowners, gamekeepers and farmers with genuine pest control problems know where to go for advice; and keeping a careful check on the present statutory controls on those substances most abused.
The campaign is a long-term one aimed at changing permanently the attitudes of the minority who abuse pesticides, thereby safeguarding our wildlife against cruel and unnecessary suffering.