HC Deb 22 March 2000 vol 346 cc542-3W
Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many private zoos there are in the UK; and how many reported accidents involving(a) animals and keepers and (b) animals and the public resulted in (i) hospitalisation and (ii) death in the last five years. [115118]

Mr. Mullin

Official statistics about the ownership of zoos are not kept.

The table shows the breakdown of injuries and death in zoos in Great Britain for the years 1994–98. These figures are reported to local authorities under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) and relate to accidents arising out of work activities at zoos.

Injured by animal
Severity of injury 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 Total
Employees
Fatal 1 1
Major
Over 3 day 2 1 1 4
Member of public
Fatal
Major 1 1 2
Total 2 2 1 2 7

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