§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the locations of reports of salmonella under the Zoonoses Order 1975 during 1988; and if he will indicate in each case who reported it and what was the method by which it was identified.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonThe reporting of isolations of salmonella in food producing animals is required under the Zoonoses Order 1975. 2,167 reports have been submitted so far for 1988 for Great Britain. As there is a delay between finding an isolate and submitting a report, this figure must be regarded as provisional. Of these reported isolations, 1,559 were in England, 269 in Scotland and 339 in Wales.
Under the Zoonoses Order, any person who knows or has reason to believe that an animal or bird is or was a carrier of a salmonella organism is required to make a report. Those making reports include owners of animals, private veterinary surgeons; or reports can be made as a result of the isolation of a salmonella organism in a laboratory. It is not possible to give details of who reported the incidents, the methods by which they were identified or precise locations except at disproportionate cost.
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§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what procedures exist for the monitoring of the code of practice for poultry health scheme members for the control of salmonella.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonSince the poultry health scheme code was introduced, veterinary officers of my Department have been assessing compliance with it in the course of visits which they make to the premises. Further checks are carried out if visits are made following the reporting of isolations under the Zoonoses Order 1975.
As part of the recently announced further measures the majority of the requirements at present in the code of practice will be made statutory.