§ Mr. ButlerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the number of outbreaks of swine fever in the United Kingdom considered to be due to meat products imported in the last year.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonThe outbreak of classical swine fever in Hampshire in August 1987 is believed to have been caused by imported infected material. However, the evidence for that was circumstantial and the actual origin of the infected material could not be proved.
§ Mr. ButlerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to refuse a licence under the Animal Products and Poultry Products Order 1980 for the import of any United States wastes which contain animal products.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonAs my hon. Friend knows from replies to his earlier questions about imports of domestic waste from the United States, my officials are assessing possible animal disease risks. No import licence under the Immigration of Animal Products and Poultry Products Order 1980 will be granted unless we can be satisfied that there are adequate safeguards against such risks.
§ Mr. ButlerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the dangers to United Kingdom livestock of the transfrontier shipment of wastes containing animal residues infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonWe have received no reports of bovine spongiform encephalopathy having been recorded outside the British Isles.