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Wildlife (Mevinphos)

Volume 21: debated on Friday 2 April 1982

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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.

I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave him on 25 March.—[Vol.20, c 411.] The information requested is as follows:

197919801981
Total incidents of alleged poisoning of birds and mammals by pesticides of all kinds192190243
Confirmed incidents involving misuse of mevinphos203038
19731974197519761977197819791980Total
Beef
destroyed
otherwise disposed of1797410,7975,86810,16111,9048,26747,250
Butter
destroyed
otherwise disposed of9,03311,8687,85514,65316,74130,63445,627136,411
Skimmed Milk Powder
destroyed
otherwise disposed of31119,53359,13210,14656,21966,8801,217213,438
197919801981
Species and numbers identified in confirmed mevinphos incidents Birds
Red Kites1
Marsh Harriers1
Hen Harriers1
Buzzards123
Sparrowhawks1
Kestrels131
Corvids*1744*17
Gulls1*1
Pigeons*59
Game Birds224*†51
Song Birds41*†328
Other Birds Mammals1
Dogs1312
Cats11128
Ferrets1
Foxes9620
Badgers3
Stoats*1
Other Mammals32
* Estimated.
† 50 pheasants and over 200 finches included in these figures resulted from one incident.