HC Deb 18 November 1991 vol 199 cc72-3W
Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies his Department has carried out or commissioned within the last two years on(a) the epidemiology of diseases of wild animals and (b) marine mammal strandings, including small cetacean species.

Mr. Baldry

My Department has commissioned the following studies, some of which cover both issues to some extent.

  1. (1) Directorate of Rural Affairs. Wildlife Disease Investigation Review by the Natural Environment Research Council. Final Report published in February 1991 and obtainable from NERC.
  2. (2) Water Directorate. Effects Monitoring using marine mammals by NERC Sea Mammal Research Unit. Final report awaited.
  3. (3) Water Directorate Seal Epidemic and Pollutant levels by NERC/SMRU. Summary of main findings presented to the British Association for the Advance of Science 91 Conference held in Plymouth in August 1991. Published by the Association.
  4. (4) Water Directorate Thymulin in Seals by United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy's and St. Thomas's hospitals. Final report available from DOE.
  5. (5) Water Directorate. Variation in the prevalence of fish disease in Scottish Coastal Waters by Scottish Office, Agriculture and Fisheries Department Laboratory. Final report expected in 1992.
  6. (6) Water Directorate. Wildlife disease—Co-ordination and sampling of marine mammal strandings by the Institute of Zoology, London. Final report expected in 1993.