§ Mr. William RossTo aks the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what studies he has carried out into the numbers of areas in Northern Ireland where the New Zealand flatworm has been found; whether it is increasing in numbers and areas affected; and what has been its impact on native earthworms and soil structure.
§ Mr. Ancram[holding reply 17 January 1995]: The New Zealand flatworm has now been identified at more than 500 sites in Northern Ireland. The majority of these are domestic gardens, but available evidence indicates that it is spreading into agricultural land.
Department of Agriculture scientists are engaged in studies into the impact of the flatworm on earthworms in grasslands in Northern Ireland. These studies have shown 554W that native earthworm numbers are significantly decreased and some earthworm species may be eliminated. Flatworm—induced reductions in earthworm numbers have been linked to adverse changes in soil, bulk density and water-holding capacity, hence soil fertility is likely to be adversely affected.