§ Lord Sanderson of Bowdenasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether results of the 1991 sheep dip reviews are now available and whether they are in a position to announce plans for compulsory dipping for 1992.
The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Earl Howe)Sheep scab is a disease which can be readily controlled at the individual farm level and sheep farmers are well aware of the preventative measures and procedures needed to deal with the disease in their flocks. Compulsory national dipping arrangements required all flocks to he dipped, whether or not infected or at risk of infection. In 1991 the disease was recorded by the State Veterinary Service in 116 flocks out of 105,000 sheep holdings in Great Britain.
The Government have decided that responsibility for action to deal with sheep scab should rest with farmers. The dipping of sheep will no longer be compulsory and shortly legislation will be put before Parliament proposing that the disease will cease to be notifiable or subject to statutory control measures when it is discovered.
Legislation is already in place to protect the welfare of animals. We shall not hesitate to press for the prosecution of those who do not deal promptly and satisfactorily with outbreaks of sheep scab in their flocks. Field staff of the State Veterinary Service will, as in other cases where the welfare of animals may be at risk, look for evidence of sheep scab during their visits to markets and farms and will investigate all cases reported to them, where there is a potential welfare problem. All sheep farmers will be contacted, in writing, to remind them of their responsibilities for controlling sheep scab and of the procedures they should follow should their flocks become infected.