HC Deb 24 July 1963 vol 681 cc183-4W
92. Sir A. Hurd

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements are now made for the local notification of fowl pest outbreaks so that poultry farmers in the vicinity and those doing business with them may take extra precautions to prevent the spread of infection.

Mr. Scott-Hopkins

Each outbreak of fowl pest is notified by telegram to the local county branch of the National Farmers' Union as well as to the local authority responsible for enforcing orders made under the Diseases of Animals Act. Telegrams are also sent to the British Egg Marketing Board regional centres and to any egg or poultry packing station trading with the infected premises.

Poultry-keepers in the immediate vicinity of the premises on which the outbreak is confirmed are visited by our veterinary staff and, if their flocks have not been protected by vaccination, restrictions on the movement of their stock are imposed; these restrictions are maintained while the flocks remain at risk.

Where there are a number of outbreaks or where there is considered to be serious risk of spread, restrictions on the movement of poultry may be applied to a wider area. Notice is then given through the Press and the B.B.C.

The most effective precaution which poultry-keepers can take to prevent the spread of fowl pest is to vaccinate their

ROYAL NAVY AND ROYAL MARINES

The following figures are the total numbers of men aged 17½ and over, recruited in the years 1951 to 1961 inclusive for the periods shown:

7 years … 35 9 years … 109 12 years … 87

ARMY

The following are the numbers of men and women aged 18 and over, recruited in the particular year for the periods shown:

PERIOD OF ENGAGEMENT (YEARS)
(Men)
— 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 12 22 Total
1951 … … … … 6 17 22 — — — — 2 — 47
1952 … … … … 113 2 — — 1 — — 19 1 136
1953 … … … … 42 — 1 — — — — 9 1 53
1954 … … … … 39 — — — — — — 5 2 46
1955 … … … … 36 — — — — — — 1 3 40
1956 … … … … 69 — — 2 — 7 — 4 — 82
1957 … … … … 67 — — 6 — 6 — — — 79
1958 … … … … 17 — — 30 — 12 1 — — 60
1959 … … … … 11 — — 37 — 13 — 1 — 62
1960 … … … … 5 — — 24 — 16 — — — 45
1961 … … … … — — — 21 — 20 — — — 41
405 19 23 120 1 74 1 41 7 691

birds against the disease. We have constantly urged, by all publicity measures available to us, that all poultry-keepers should take advantage of subsidised vaccine for this purpose.