§ 11.21 a.m.
§ Lord Chanasked Her Majesty's Government:
What arrangements, have been made in the National Health Service regarding the risk of an outbreak of avian influenza from South East Asia.
§ Lord WarnerMy Lords, at present there is no confirmed evidence of person-to-person spread of avian influenza in south-east Asia. Guidance for the NHS on the detection, diagnosis and treatment of potential cases of avian flu has been prepared by the Health Protection Agency, in collaboration with the Department of Health, and is published on the HPA's website. Antiviral agents are available within the NHS for the treatment and prevention of infection.
§ Lord ChanMy Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply, but I wish to press him on some further points. First, will he consider further what public health messages should be disseminated to the public through primary care trusts; secondly, what advice should be given to those considering taking holidays in south-east Asia, given the difficulties encountered in the past two weeks in Thailand, Vietnam and China, where there have been regular outbreaks of avian flu, with deaths in the latest outbreak; and, thirdly, what information should travel agents disseminate?
§ Lord WarnerMy Lords, it is the Government's longstanding practice to advise the travel industry on areas where people need to consider their decision to go or to take necessary health precaution before going. I see no need to amend that in the light of the avian flu situation. It is worth bearing in mind that there have been outbreaks of avian flu in Vietnam and Thailand in the past 12 months, with 45 cases in total.
§ Baroness NeubergerMy Lords, perhaps I may press the Minister further on the arrangements already made, should there be an outbreak of avian flu in this country. 359 The United States Government have apparently commissioned 2 million doses of avian flu vaccine, enough for people working in the healthcare industry and laboratory workers. Is the United Kingdom making any such arrangements?
§ Lord WarnerMy Lords, we have a pandemic flu plan, whose revision is under way. The United States has pursued its own policy in this area. Antiviral drugs are very expensive and do not have an indefinite life. Our plans must be proportionate to the risk.
§ Baroness Miller of Chilthorne DomerMy Lords, when the outbreak occurred, there was a temporary ban on the import of wild birds into this country as part of the caged-bird trade. Has that ban, which expired a month or so ago, been renewed? Notwithstanding all the welfare and biodiversity arguments against the capture of wild birds, does the Minister think that the ban should be in place permanently on health grounds?
§ Lord WarnerMy Lords, Defra has published a contingency plan for dealing with avian flu; it is available on its website. I shall look into the noble Baroness's point and write to her, but she may also wish to consult the Defra website.
§ Baroness Morris of BoltonMy Lords, I was not clear from the Minister's answer to the noble Baroness, Lady Neuberger, whether the Government have any plans to stockpile the antiviral drug Tamiflu, which remains our only and best avenue to tackle an outbreak of avian influenza.
§ Lord WarnerMy Lords, the Government have not only a plan but also a stockpile.
§ Lord ChanMy Lords, perhaps I may press the Minister to answer the first part of my supplementary question on advice for primary care trusts to give to local residents.
§ Lord WarnerMy Lords, as I have said, we do not have any cases of avian flu in this country. A lot of attention has been given to primary care work and advice on the influenza conditions that we do have in this country during the winter. Doctors are well advised on that. Where there is a need to advise primary care trusts and doctors on public health grounds, the Chief Medical Officer will provide an alert in the normal way.