§ Mr. Peter DuncanTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what risk assessment was conducted before anti-rabies testing at Dundrennan Range; and what further assessment has since been made of the risks to(a) local people, (b) pets, and (c) other livestock arising from the testing. [88642]
§ Mr. MorleyI have been asked to reply.
The field trial was authorised by the ACP (Advisory Committee on Pesticides) who performed an independent evaluation of the risks of the trial, and stipulated certain conditions to further reduce such risks.
The Central Science Laboratory's (CSL) own risk assessment was that the risks to local people, pets and other livestock was extremely low. No poisoning incidents have occurred as a result of the trial, and the overall level of pesticide used at Dundrennan was between 10,000 and one million times less (per square kilometre) than the level used during certain agricultural practices.