HC Deb 07 July 1977 vol 934 cc594-5W
Mr. Torney

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Rother Valley (Mr. Hardy), Official Report, 8th March 1977, c. 451–2, he is able to announce which areas are to be attested as free from brucellosis in cattle.

Mr. Strang

Discussions have been held with the fanners' unions and the British Veterinary Association, and I am now able to declare the first brucellosis attested areas in England and Wales. These are as followsThe Isles of Scilly The Isle of Wight Norfolk and Suffolk Southern Cumbria and Northern Lancashire together with a small adjacent part of North Yorkshire Dyfed, Gwynedd and Powys, together with small adjacent parts of Clwyd, Gwent, Mid Glamorgan and West Glamorgan. The necessary order under the Diseases of Animals Act will be made as soon as possible, to come into effect on 1st August.

My right hon. Friends the Minister and the Secretary of State for Scotland have also decided to discontinue the free calf vaccination service in attested areas. This will mean that the use of S.19 as well as 45/20 vaccine will cease in attested areas. This change will apply from 1st August both to the areas listed above and to the existing attested area in Scotland as extended from 1st July by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. It will also apply in future areas as they come into operation. This step will pave the way for herds in attested areas to be designated officially brucellosis-free under the EEC directive on intra-Community trade in live animals. Outside the attested areas, however, the free calf vaccination service will continue as part of the measures needed to control the disease.

Other minor amendments will be made to the general regulations which apply to the movements of cattle into attested areas to reduce the risk of brucellosis being introduced from surrounding areas.

In addition to these changes concerning attested areas, I have decided that new applications for membership of the 45/20 vaccination scheme will not be accepted after the end of July. Exceptions will be made to this rule only if the use of the vaccine is indicated as a means of containing an outbreak of brucellosis and preventing its spread to neighbouring herds.