§ Dame Joan Vickersasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of the fact that Norway, Sweden and Finland are free from rabies, showing that rabies cannot survive in very cold climates, if he will consider relaxing the regulations so that those serving in Her Majesty's forces in Norway bringing back their domestic animals do not need to have them put into quarantine.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartNo. It would be impossible to ensure that animals genuinely originate from a particular source and that there has been no possibility of contacts with other animals en route. Nor is it correct that rabies cannot survive in cold climates.
But we will review our import arrangements as soon as we have the recommendations of the Committee of Inquiry which is examining our policy and precautions against rabies; and the Committee has undertaken to produce an Interim Report on its recommended import policy very shortly.