§ Mr. Scott-Hopkinsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when, following his acceptance of the Report of the Fowl Pest Review Panel, he will introduce the revised arrangements for dealing with flocks infested with Newcastle disease; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PriorMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have made the Newcastle Disease (England and Wales) Order, 1971, which will come into operation on 1st January, 1972.
This order introduces new arrangements for dealing with poultry in England and Wales which are suspected of having become infected with Newcastle disease. The disease will continue to be subject to compulsory notification, so that flock owners or other persons in charge of poultry and veterinary surgeons will be required to notify a police constable or a Ministry veterinary official if they suspect the presence of the disease. A Ministry veterinary inspector will then visit the flock to confirm whether or not the disease is present and until his visit is made the flock must not be moved. If the disease has been found to be present the flock owner will not be subject to detailed restrictions, as was previously the case, but will be given advice by the veterinary inspector and will be asked to 251W follow a code of practice designed to minimise the spread of infection. This voluntary code of practice will thus replace the previous Form A restrictions.
The order also continues the existing prohibition on the use of vaccines unless they have been licensed, but in accordance with the recommendations of the panel, it drops the provision for slaughter and compensation which has until now been used in peracute cases of the disease.
A separate order will later be made incorporating the requirements in respect of fowl plague in Great Britain and consideration is also being given to the arrangements for dealing with Newcastle disease in Scotland.