§ Mr. Kinnockasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how the British regulations dealing with fowl pest compare with those of foreign governments, from information available from international sources.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartMost countries retain some form of requirement to notify. The majority control the disease by a policy of voluntary vaccination with live vaccine. A minority retain some provisions for the compulsory slaughter of infected flocks, but they are not widely enforced. Comprehensive information on movement restrictions is not available, but a number of European countries have power to impose them when the situation justifies it. In general, our present control policies do not differ significantly from those adopted in the majority of overseas countries with broadly similar poultry industries and conditions.
§ Mr. Kinnockasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the output and financial value of the British poultry packing industry in the last year for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartThe throughput of poultry packing stations in Great Britain in the year June, 1969-May, 1970 is estimated at about 450,000 tons deadweight. The value of this to producers is estimated at about £100 million.
§ Mr. Kinnockasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will establish an independent inquiry into the fowl pest epidemic in view of the gravity of the present epidemic, the fact that no 78W major inquiry into the disease has taken place since 1962, and that live vaccine is now being used to combat the disease.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartI would refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 20th April to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Winchester (Rear-Admiral Morgan-Giles).—[Vol. 815, c. 936–7.]
§ Mr. Kinnockasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will assist poultry packing firms in the formation of their future production and marketing policy by making regular reports on the progress achieved in combating fowl pest for the duration of the Live Poultry (Restriction of Movement) Order, 1971.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartDaily figures of numbers of outbreaks are made available to the Press and other inquirers: but the need for the movement restrictions depends on the disease risk in the areas concerned, and this in turn is dependent on an assessment of a wide range of veterinary and other considerations which it would be impracticable to make the subject of regular reports.
§ Mr. Kinnockasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make the appropriate facilities of his Department available to poultry packing firms in order to assist them in finding sources of live bird supply for the duration of the Live Poultry (Restriction of Movement) Order, 1971.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartMy Department's officials have done what they can to help, but this function is in general more appropriate to trade and producer associations.
§ Mr. Kinnockasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to make an ex gratia payment to poultry packing firms who before the introduction of the Live Poultry (Restriction of Movement) Order, 1971, took the precaution of vaccinating stock against fowl pest.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartNo. It would in any event be quite impracticable after the event to determine the extent to which any flock had been fully and effectively vaccinated.