§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent assessment he has made of dangers arising from the New Zealand flatworm; and what finance the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland allocates to(a) Invergowrie and (b) other research establishments for investigations relating to the New Zealand flatworm. [8412]
§ Mr. Raymond S. RobertsonIn 1991 the Scottish Office Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Department commissioned and funded a survey of the distribution of the New Zealand flatworm in Scotland. Further surveillance on horticultural and farm businesses is presently being undertaken and will be completed later in the year.
There is no current funding made available to the Scottish Crop Research Institute at Invergowrie or to any other research establishment for investigations relating to the New Zealand flatworm. However, it is proposed to commission shortly a three-year project which will look at the environmental and ecological impact of the flatworm. This is part of a joint approach to research into the flatworm by the UK Agriculture Departments.