§ Mr. ColvinTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if there have been any reports in the last year of viral haemorrhagic disease in rabbits in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what steps he is taking to prevent viral haemorrhagic disease in rabbits entering the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonThere have been no reports of viral haemorrhagic disease in rabbits in this country. Imported rabbits are subject to six months quarantine and this is an effective safeguard against the introduction of the disease.
249W
§ Mr. ColvinTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in theOfficial Report figures for the importation into the United Kingdom of frozen rabbit meat and live rabbits, and the countries of origin, for the last five years.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonData on imported rabbit meat are not available for the years prior to 1988. For 1988, imports of frozen rabbit meat were not separately identified. But imports for 1988 of all presentations of rabbit meat (fresh, chilled, frozen and edible offal) were:
Country Rabbit meat and offal (kg) France 113,800 Poland 1,700 China 2,314,100 Imports of live domestic rabbits and countries of origin for the last five years were:
country Live rabbits (kg) 1984 France 1,076 Irish Republic 3,000 1985 France 720 1986 France 412 1987 USA 490 1988 USA 3,362