§ 7. Mr. MacFarquharasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further steps he has taken to publicise British laws on the importation of animals in the continental Channel ports.
§ Mr. StrangThrough our embassies and consulates, and with the co-operation of the appropriate continental authorities, we have arranged for extensive publicity at continental ports, marinas, etc., warning travellers to Britain of our anti-rabies import controls and advising them to leave their pets behind.
§ Mr. MacFarquharI welcome my hon. Friend's statement, but would it not be worth while sending a member of his Department to inspect what has been done at these various ports and to see whether the notices are appropriately displayed? Would it not also be worth while for my hon. Friend to contact his opposite numbers on the Continent to see whether it would be possible to arrange for customs officers at Channel ports and elsewhere, on an informal basis, to warn all travellers to Britain with pets?
§ Mr. StrangI am grateful to my hon. Friend. I know of his deep interest in these matters. We have already sent a Ministry veterinary officer, who has made an extensive tour of the Dutch, Belgian and French coasts. We are getting very good co-operation indeed from the Governments of those countries on the Continent, and particularly from France. I mention France, of course, because of its proximity. We are making some progress in this matter, though there are no grounds for complacency.
§ Mr. CrouchWhat is the cost of the publicity that the Government are placing in continental ports?
§ Mr. StrangI should need advance notice of that question. However, in addition to leaflets, we have made a number of television films in the appropriate languages and these have been shown by continental television stations.
§ Mr. Raphael TuckWill my hon. Friend say whether the extreme dangers of rabies have been emphasised? He may not realise that when thinking of bringing their dogs here many people abroad may say to themselves "My little Fido could not get rabies", without knowing that the dog might have taken a bone that had been left by a dog with rabies. Can a massive programme of warning be undertaken?
§ Mr. StrangWe launched a massive publicity exercise. There is no doubt that this was reflected in a great deal of recent Press publicity and in the higher fines that magistrates have been imposing—and, indeed, it has been reflected in the increased parliamentary interest in the matter. We take this matter very seriously indeed.