HC Deb 09 December 1968 vol 775 c53W
Mrs. Ewing

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in the system of ante-mortem post-mortem inspection of livestock destined for Great Britain, what tests carried out by his Department indicate the presence of foot-and-mouth virus where no clinical symptoms appear.

Mr. John Mackie

The appropriate authorities in supplying countries are responsible for the inspection of animals and carcases for meat destined for Great Britain. No laboratory tests for detecting the presence of foot-and-mouth disease in carcase meat are practicable. The virus recovery test and the metabolic inhibition test are carried out, before export and during quarantine in this country, on the live animals that are exceptionally admitted from outside the British Isles.

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