To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated deer population was in each of the last 40 years; by what method any such estimates were determined, and what its position is on figures in respect of deer population provided by the Deer Commission for Scotland. Annual estimated deer population figures are not held by the Scottish Executive.The Deer Commission for Scotland (DCS) is the statutory body charged with furthering the conservation, control and sustainable management of wild deer in Scotland and detailed deer data is published in their Annual Report, which is laid before Parliament (Bib. number 17932).Estimates of red deer numbers and densities over previous years are also available from the DCS.