HC Deb 20 January 1972 vol 829 cc264-5W
Mr. Farr

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress is being made in implementing the recommendation of the Fowl Pest Review Panel that research into Newcastle disease should be substantially increased.

Mr. Prior

Proposals have been approved for an extended programme of research into Newcastle disease at the Ministry's Central Veterinary Laboratory at Weybridge and work on a number of projects has commenced. The Laboratory will be mainly concerned with applied research projects, including the monitoring of vaccine efficiency in commercial flocks. and research into various aspects of vaccine administration, programmes, potency and safety.

Urgent discussions have been held with the Agricultural Research Council, and the Council have approved a programme of research to be undertaken at the Houghton Poultry Research Station: I have now given my authority for this. The Station will be primarily concerned with the more fundamental aspects of research, including the interaction of the virus with bacterial infections, the effect of the virus and live vaccines on production and egg quality and studies in immunology.

The Royal Post-Graduate Medical School at Hammersmith is also currently undertaking, with the aid of a grant from the Council, research which is mainly concerned with the basic properties of the virus.

The Ministry are in close touch with Houghton and Hammersmith and arrangements exist for the regular exchange of information and the avoidance of unnecessary duplication.

Discussions of the role of the industry in research into the disease are also taking place with the organisations concerned.