§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the numbers and titles of circulars issued during the present year from his Department, involving local authorities in expenditure.
§ Mr. PeartMy Department regularly issues circulars giving guidance to local authorities about functions delegated by existing legislation. In addition, since 1st January 1975 seven circulars and two local orders have been issued notifying local authorities of new or extended legislation which it is their duty to enforce. In most cases these enforcement duties involve only marginal expenditure.
The titles are as follows:
Infectious Diseases of Horses Order 1975.*
Dourine Order 1975.*
Movement and Sale of Pigs Order 1975.
Zoonoses Order 1975 (Diseases communicable to man with paticular reference to Salmonellosis).
Brucellosis (Berkshire, South West Oxfordshire, Surrey etc. Eradication Area) Order 1975.
Notes for guidance on the Rabies (Control) Order 1974.
Notes for guidance on the Rabies (Importation of dogs, cats and other mammals) Order 1974.
Sheep Scab: Imposition of movement restrictions and dipping requirements in parts of the South West and West Midlands (2 Local Orders).
*These orders assigned new contingency duties to Local Authorities which, so far, have not arisen.
Two other circulars are relevant:
Meat Inspection (Amendment) Regulations 1975. This improved the ability of local authorities to recoup their meat inspection costs by increased charges.
281WRodent Infestation Survey, requested local authorities to provide information about infestation by rats and mice.