§ Mr. Keith SimpsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what standard operating procedures and contingency plans have been established by her Department based upon the experiences of the outbreak of swine fever in 2000. [15369]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 16 November 2001]: The amendment of operational instructions and contingency plans following the outbreak of swine fever in 2000 was interrupted by the outbreak of FMD in 2001. The action following both outbreaks will now be carried forward in parallel.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish her Department's contingency plan for combating future outbreaks of(a) foot and mouth disease and (b) swine fever. [16037]
§ Mr. MorleyThe EU agreed foot and mouth contingency plan (updated in July 2000) was placed in the Library of the House in May 2001. It has also been published on the DEFRA website at: http://defraweb/ animalh/diseases/controlkontingency/index.htm.
A copy of the classical swine fever contingency plan (most recently updated in September 2001) has also been placed in the Library of the House. The swine fever contingency plan has not been published on the website but it is very similar to the foot and mouth disease plan. We will publish it on the newly developed "Disease surveillance and Control" area of the DEFRA website soon.