HC Deb 01 July 1999 vol 334 cc413-4
1. Mr. Tony Colman (Putney)

If he will make a statement on the implementation of the Government's policy on passports for pets. [87914]

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. Nick Brown)

A pilot project will be in place as soon as possible, and in any event, by next April. The main scheme will be in place by April 2001. Good progress is being made towards meeting those targets.

Mr. Colman

I thank the Minister for what I take to be a reaffirmation of his support for the pet travel scheme, which he announced to the House in March. I was concerned about some press speculation that there had been a change, so I am pleased to hear that the scheme is proceeding as planned. To move forward those proceedings, will he release information about improved vaccines, microchips and blood-testing laboratories so that owners can prepare their pets for travel to or from the United Kingdom?

Mr. Brown

My hon. Friend has raised a very good point, which is at the heart of the scheme. Information about the microchips to be used is in the public domain now; for those who are interested, it can be found on my Department's website, where it was placed on 30 June. In the next few weeks we hope to be able to put in the public domain information on vaccines and the laboratories that are able to undertake testing.

Mr. Nick St. Aubyn (Guildford)

Having seen the mess that the Government have made of passports for people, we shall not hold our breath for the introduction of their passports for pets scheme. The Minister must realise that allowing the story to be spun out in April in the run-up to the local elections raised the hopes of many, such as my constituents, the Prestons, who were in Japan at the time, that the scheme might be introduced promptly. Instead, we are to have a year of foot-dragging, denying those who are prepared to take part in the scheme the opportunity to do so. Hopes have been dashed and the Minister is responsible for that.

Mr. Brown

That is nonsensical; under the previous Government, we had 18 years of foot-dragging and no indication of any progress whatever. My predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham), initiated the scientific inquiry. We analysed the results and then acted. We are proceeding in a measured and responsible way. The pilot scheme has been well thought through; it covers all possible modes of transportation. We intend to move from that pilot to full change and, once that change has been made, the scheme will be widely used and, from the information that is available to me, widely welcomed.