LORD ROWALLANasked Her Majesty's Government :
Whilst welcoming the improvement in the situation of brucella reinfections in Ayrshire, how the figures compare with those in European countries and advanced agricultural areas in the Commonwealth, how many of these countries are now free and how long it took them to achieve freedom from this disease.
EARL FERRERSI regret that we do not possess for overseas countries information on cases of brucellosis reinfection comparable to that available for Great Britain. The information we have on the progress of eradication in Western European and certain Commonwealth countries can be summarised as follows:
- Australia—moderate incidence; eradication programme under way.
- Belgium—moderate incidence; five year eradication programme launched in 1969.
- Canada—eradication programme, started in 1957, nearing completion.
- Denmark—eradication programme completed in 1962.
- France—moderate incidence; eradication programme under way in some areas.
- Holland—compulsory eradication programme, started in 1959, virtually complete by 1967.
- Irish Republic—moderate incidence; eradication started in 1966 and six counties now clear.
- Italy—moderate incidence; national eradication programme introduced in 1965 and some areas now officially free.
- New Zealand—low incidence; compulsory eradication programme started in 1971 and expected to take eight years.
1665 - Northern Ireland—compulsory eradication programme started in 1963 and completed late in 1971. 0.4 per cent. of herds are currently infected.
- Norway—last outbreak recorded in 1952.
- Sweden—last outbreak recorded in 1957.
- West Germany—eradication virtually complete; exceptional occurrence only.