§ Mr. Wigginasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the restrictions at present imposed on the movement of poultry into the scheduled areas in England and Wales.
§ Mr. PriorIn view of the improvement in the fowl pest situation, the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have decided, after consultations with the interests concerned and with the independent persons who are assisting the Ministry in reviewing the fowl pest arrangements, to lift from tomorrow the restrictions imposed under the Live Poultry (Restrictions) Order, 1971, on movements of live birds (other than day-old chicks) into the three Scheduled Areas in England and Wales—the Northern counties, Wales and the South-West.
While it is impossible to assess how much effect the restrictions have had on the course of the epidemic, it is clear that the three areas concerned have remained relatively free from fowl pest at a time when there would normally have been substantial movements of live birds into these areas from elsewhere in England.