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Dr. John Cunningham
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish the results of the analyses of dead birds and other wildlife carried out in his Department's laboratories in England and Wales in 1979, 1980 and 1981 showing which, if any, died of mevinphos poisoning, listing the numbers of each species thus killed; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Fenner
I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave him on 25 March.—[Vol.20, c 411.] The information requested is as follows:
1979 | 1980 | 1981 | |
Total incidents of alleged poisoning of birds and mammals by pesticides of all kinds | 192 | 190 | 243 |
Confirmed incidents involving misuse of mevinphos | 20 | 30 | 38 |
1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | Total | |
Beef | |||||||||
destroyed | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
otherwise disposed of | — | 179 | 74 | 10,797 | 5,868 | 10,161 | 11,904 | 8,267 | 47,250 |
Butter | |||||||||
destroyed | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
otherwise disposed of | 9,033 | 11,868 | — | 7,855 | 14,653 | 16,741 | 30,634 | 45,627 | 136,411 |
Skimmed Milk Powder | |||||||||
destroyed | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
otherwise disposed of | — | 311 | 19,533 | 59,132 | 10,146 | 56,219 | 66,880 | 1,217 | 213,438 |
1979 | 1980 | 1981 | |
Species and numbers identified in confirmed mevinphos incidents Birds | |||
Red Kites | 1 | — | — |
Marsh Harriers | 1 | — | — |
Hen Harriers | — | 1 | — |
Buzzards | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Sparrowhawks | — | — | 1 |
Kestrels | 1 | 3 | 1 |
Corvids | *17 | 44 | *17 |
Gulls | — | 1 | *1 |
Pigeons | *5 | — | 9 |
Game Birds | 22 | 4 | *†51 |
Song Birds | 4 | 1 | *†328 |
Other Birds Mammals | — | 1 | — |
Dogs | 1 | 3 | 12 |
Cats | 11 | 12 | 8 |
Ferrets | — | — | 1 |
Foxes | 9 | 6 | 20 |
Badgers | — | 3 | — |
Stoats | *1 | — | — |
Other Mammals | 3 | — | 2 |
* Estimated. | |||
† 50 pheasants and over 200 finches included in these figures resulted from one incident. |