Written question asked by Gordon Prentice (Labour) on Tuesday, 14 March 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 22 March 2000. It was answered by Chris Mullin (Labour) on Wednesday, 22 March 2000 on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Question: 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. - Includes table.

Answer: 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 _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Secondary information