§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will tabulate in theOfficial Report all existing animal health and disease checks, restrictions, examinations, or certifications concerning import and export of all live animals and birds to and from the United Kingdom, with reference to their respective statutory bases, together with the relevant proposals of the Commission of the European Economic Community contained in, or foreshadowed by, documents 4183/89, 4830/89 and 5057/89 indicating in each case, whether the proposed changes are acceptable or unacceptable to Her Majesty's Government.
§ Mr. CurryIt would be impracticable to publish in theOfficial Report the hundreds of import licences and export certificates which exist.
Our import conditions are designed to prevent the introduction of animal disease, and relate to the species concerned and the animal health status of the countries of origin. Among other things we may require an appropriate pre-export testing and isolation and post-import quarantine, post-import isolation plus testing.
For exports, the requirements depend on European Community rules where they exist and in other cases on those of the authorisation of the countries of destination.
The statutory basis for import licences and export certification are derived from the following orders:
Importation of Animals Order 1977Importation of Birds, Poultry and Hatching Eggs Order 1979Importation of Equine Animals Order 1979Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) Order 1974Exportation of Pigeons Order 1983The Diseases of Animals (Export Health Certificates) Order 1985As to the EC Commission's proposals for harmonised animal health rules for trade in sheep and goats (document 4183/89), bovine embryos (document 4389/89), and poultry and hatching eggs (document 5057/89) I refer the hon. Member to the explanatory memoranda, copies of which were deposited in the Library and to the debate on them which took place on 18 July at columns 294–315.