Written question asked by Nick Ainger (Labour), in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 6 December 1996. It was answered by James Clappison (Conservative) on Friday, 6 December 1996 on behalf of the Department of the Environment.

Dept of the Environment

Question: How many post mortems carried out on seals from West Wales have established the presence of the herpes virus in the last two months. - Inc fig. (Holding answer 3 December 1996).

Answer: Mr. Ainger: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many post mortems carried out on seals from west Wales have established the presence of the herpes virus in the last two months. [7392] Mr. Clappison: [holding answer 3 December 1996]: Five post mortems were conducted on grey seals washed up on the west Wales coast in the last two months under the Government-funded marine mammals strandings project. None of the carcases had lesions consistent with seal herpes virus infection. Post mortem examination of a larger number of carcases was not possible due in some cases to the decomposed state of the stranded animals and the result of others being washed back to sea before collection was possible.

Secondary information