HC Deb 29 June 1976 vol 914 cc154-5W
Ms. Colquhoun

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of increased risk of rabies as evidended by recent prosecutions for importation of animals, if he will now make the penalty for the importation of animals illegally into the United Kingdom the immediate killing of the animal upon detection of this crime.

Mr. Strang

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Ridley) on 6th May.—[Vol. 910, c.448.] Recent prosecutions for illegal landings are evidence of an increased awareness of the rabies threat by the public, the enforcing authorities and the courts, rather than of an increase in the risk itself.

Ms. Colquhoun

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now ban the importation of all live animals into the United Kingdom, in view of the increased evidence of risks of the disease spreading to the United Kingdom.

Mr. Strang

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave her on 14th May.—[Vol. 911, c.310.] To deprive all owners of the safe alternative of importing animals through quarantine, irrespective of the circumstances, would tend to encourage illegal importations, thereby increasing the rabies risk.

Ms. Colquhoun

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in view of evidence of increased risk of rabies entering the United Kingdom, if he will now allow vets to vaccinate dogs on demand against rabies.

Mr. Strang

I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave to the hon. Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton) and to the hon. Member for Plymouth, Drake (Miss Fookes)—[Vol. 910, c. 351; Vol. 912, c. 317.]—on 4th and 27th May respectively; also to paragraph 46 of the Ministry's explanatory memorandum of 19th May, copies of which I sent to my hon. Friend and other hon. Members who had indicated an interest in rabies. Copies of the memorandum are also available in the Library of the House. I see no justification for changing our anti-rabies policy, which is in line with the World Health Organisation's recommendation for rabies-free countries and which has recently received the unequivocal support of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and of the British Veterinary Association.

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