§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what additional steps will be taken to prevent an escalation in incidents of rabies following the completion of the channel tunnel.
§ Mr. MacleanEurotunnel has implemented measures agreed with the Department to prevent the possible entry of rabies-susceptible animals while the tunnel is built. The state veterinary service and the Department's wildlife scientists have been fully involved in devising the measures to be used once the tunnel is operational. These have yet to be finalised, but will include the use of sealed trains, physical barriers and grids, and the continuous use of baited traps in the tunnel and terminal areas, together with vigorous cleaning and inspection procedures.
The planned control measures will ensure that the channel tunnel presents no greater rabies risk than other forms of cross-channel transport.
§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many quarantined animals have developed rabies in each year since 1970.
§ Mr. MacleanTwo animals developed rabies in quarantine in this period, one in 1983 and the other in 1990. None developed the disease after release from quarantine.