HC Deb 09 February 2004 vol 417 c1301W
Mr. Hoyle

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many EU countries refuse to import infected chicken, broken down by disease; what plans the UK has to ban the import of infected chickens; and what measures she is taking to ensure that no infected chickens are imported into the UK. [153122]

Mr. Bradshaw

Under EU law neither chickens nor chicken meat infected with any disease to which poultry is susceptible may be imported into any member state. All chickens and chicken meat imported into the EU must undergo veterinary checks at an approved Border Inspection Post before import is allowed, to ensure that the import requirements have been complied with.

In view of the outbreaks of Avian Influenza in several South Asian countries, the Government have, as an additional precaution, specifically banned import from all the affected countries of all live birds, unprocessed poultry meat (other than poultry meat from Thailand certified as produced from animals slaughtered before 1 January 2004), and other bird products capable of transmitting the avian influenza virus.

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