HC Deb 27 July 1989 vol 157 c961W
Mrs. Gorman

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the average cost per test of applying the zoonoses regulations to egg laying flocks and broiler chicken flocks.

Mr. Curry

The Testing of Poultry Flocks Order 1989 requires rearing, laying, and breeding flocks to be monitored for evidence of salmonella. Cloacal swabs are taken from laying birds and tested at intervals from point of lay to slaughter (22 to 70 weeks of age) and dead birds are examined between 26 and 30 weeks of age.

Many laboratories in both the public and private sectors carry out these tests and average cost figures are not available. The Government's veterinary investigations centres would expect to charge £109 per house for this range of tests on laying birds required under the order.