§ Baroness Strange asked Her Majesty's Government:
§ When they will end the anomaly of imposing a six-month quarantine on dogs entering the United Kingdom from a rabies-free area such as Cyprus which already imposes a six-month quarantine on dogs entering the island.
§ The Earl of Strathmore and KinghorneMy Lords, there is no anomaly. The 1971 report of the Committee of Inquiry on Rabies considered the case for exempting from quarantine animals imported from countries, including Cyprus, which appeared to be free from rabies. The committee's conclusion and firm recommendation, which continues to form the basis for government policy, was that no exemptions to general quarantine requirements should be permitted.
§ Baroness StrangeMy Lords, I thank the Minister for his courteous but not very encouraging reply. Is he aware that the Republic of Cyprus and also North Cyprus are both rabies-free areas, and both impose a six-month quarantine on all dogs entering the island? Does he not agree that to treat the island as a special case, like the Republic of Ireland, would cause great happiness to many expatriate Cyprus dogs and also their loving owners?
§ The Earl of Strathmore and KinghorneMy Lords, our requirement for a six-month quarantine is our most effective safeguard. However, in principle we could consider free movement of animals on a reciprocal basis between rabies-free countries which impose identical import requirements, vaccination and contingency arrangements for controlling" an outbreak should one ever occur. We have that arrangement with the Republic of Ireland.