§ 2. Mrs. Maria Fyfe (Glasgow, Maryhill)What action he has taken to ensure that pet owners are aware of the operation of the pet travel scheme. [117723]
§ 5. Mr. David Crausby (Bolton, North-East)How many animals have entered the United Kingdom under the pet travel scheme. [117731]
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Ms Joyce Quin)Pet owners have been informed about the pet travel scheme—PETS—in a variety of ways, including advertisements in the daily press. Every veterinary practice has been sent information, including factsheets and posters. Information and advice are available also from the PETS helpline or by e-mail or fax, or from the PETS website which receives more than 500,000 hits each month. In the first six weeks of the pet travel scheme pilot, 857 dogs and cats have entered the UK without going into quarantine.
§ Mrs. FyfeI thank my right hon. Friend for that answer, and assure her that many of my constituents who campaigned for sensible reform are delighted that it is now in operation. Could she say what action the Government are taking to ensure that publicity clearly informs pet owners of the requirement for pets to pass strict health standards to ensure that Britain remains free of rabies, and to avoid any disappointment and upset to pet owners?
§ Ms QuinI thank my hon. Friend for her comments. The purpose of the pet travel scheme is in no way to relax our controls on rabies or other diseases, but simply to reform so that the misery of quarantine is ended. I am glad that that objective has been widely recognised and approved. The publicity measures for the scheme seem to be working. Surveys that we have conducted show that there is both a high level of awareness of the scheme among pet owners, and the necessary level of awareness among veterinarians both in the United Kingdom and abroad.
§ Mr. CrausbyI thank my right hon. Friend for her reply. Will she confirm that the pet travel scheme has been successfully established much earlier than anyone could possibly have hoped for, and that it has been a godsend to numerous pet owners who no longer need to quarantine their pets? Is she aware that the scheme will mean a great deal to hundreds, and eventually thousands, of people—especially those who serve in our armed forces—not to mention their pets?
§ Ms QuinMy hon. Friend is right, and I am delighted that the Government have delivered on our commitment so early by introducing the pilot scheme. Obviously, it will be important to examine the effects of the scheme before we introduce the main scheme that will follow.
§ Mr. Roger Gale (North Thanet)As one who supports and has campaigned for such a scheme, I am aware that, when it was introduced, concern was expressed about the lack of information available to veterinary surgeons and particularly about information relating to veterinary services in France that would be required for people returning to the UK. Can the Minister satisfy the House that veterinary surgeons can provide advice to travellers so that, with the holiday season starting, the many people who wish to bring animals back to the UK do not find that they cannot obtain the veterinary services that they require? In addition, when will the British forces serving in the rabies-free island of Cyprus be included in the scheme?
§ Ms QuinI am grateful for the hon. Gentleman's general comments, and I know that he has been in contact with my noble Friend Baroness Hayman, who leads for the Ministry on the issue in another place. We are in touch with the French vets, whose organisation rejoices in the acronym of SNVEL. We are ensuring that they have the requisite information on necessary certification. We have been in contact—via the French authorities—with French local government, and I am glad that French town halls are making the information available. We hope that problems can be averted in time for the summer season.
§ Mr. Eric Forth (Bromley and Chislehurst)The Minister has rightly emphasised that this is only a pilot scheme. Will she confirm that the advance to a full-blown scheme is by no means inevitable, and that it would happen only if the Minister were absolutely satisfied that every condition of the pilot scheme had been fulfilled? Will she assure us that she and her officials will want to be satisfied that facilities overseas in all countries from which animals might be brought to this country fully comply with the requirements set out when the pilot scheme was set up?
§ Ms QuinI sense that the right hon. Gentleman is less enthusiastic about the scheme than some of his Conservative colleagues. Not for the first time, he finds himself in an odd position regarding a policy issue. We believe that the scheme is worth while, and the early indications are that it is capable of working well and, as I said earlier, ending the misery of quarantine. However, I assure him that the scheme is being monitored carefully, and if we are to extend it to other countries, we must be sure that it works well.
In response to a point raised by the hon. Member for North Thanet (Mr. Gale) which I did not answer, we are keen to ensure that other rabies-free areas, such as the island of Cyprus, can be included in the scheme. I cannot give a 100 per cent. guarantee today, but it is likely to be included in the main scheme.
§ Mr. Dale Campbell-Savours (Workington)This is an excellent scheme but—to return to the question put by the hon. Member for North Thanet (Mr. Gale)—will someone check during the monitoring process on what is happening in northern France in terms of the prices being charged by veterinaries to bring into order the documentation required for the return of animals to the UK, as there is a danger of exploitation in that market?
§ Ms QuinI will draw my hon. Friend's comments to the attention of my noble Friend Baroness Hayman. We will pursue the issues with the French veterinary authorities. We do not want any financial exploitation as a result of the scheme. However, he will be well aware that the costs of quarantine were enormous and that in addition to the benefits of the scheme generally, it helps to reduce costs considerably.