§ Mr. MacCormickasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to inform the people of the United Kingdom about the consequences of the spread of rabies to the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. StrangThis is a matter to which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I attach considerable importance. In addition to a sustained campaign by Press, radio and television, we plan to give wide distribution to a leaflet describing the nature of rabies, the way it spreads and the consequences for animal and country life if the disease were to breach our defences. A further leaflet on the dangers of rabies, the quarantine laws, penalties for evasion and the need for vigilance is being distributed to port and airport staff, customs officers, ships' captains and others likely to come into contact with the travelling public.
A poster emphasising the importance of our import requirements in keeping rabies out of Britain will be displayed shortly in Crown post offices, veterinary surgeries, animal welfare hostels and similar places. Other measures will be taken in due course to maintain the momentum of the publicity campaign.
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§ Mr. MacCormickasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he intends to take to prevent the current epidemic of rabies in Europe from spreading to the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. StrangWhile the current epidemic of rabies in Europe shows how rapidly the disease can spread, in practical terms it can reach this country only through the importation of an animal infected with the disease. Our chief defence against rabies is, therefore, strict observance of our import requirements, which have recently been strengthened, and full compliance with the quarantine regulations.
To ensure that people are fully aware of the situation, multi-language posters advising travellers of the quarantine laws and the serious penalties for breaches of them have been distributed for widespread display at ports, airports and other points of entry. It is also intended that the poster will be displayed on cross-Channel and North Sea ferries and nearby foreign exit point