§ Mrs. BeckettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made as to potential health hazards posed by the import of monkeys into the United Kingdom. [24786]
§ Mr. SackvilleAll monkeys imported into Great Britain have to be licensed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and must spend six months in quarantine. Importers carry out tests for infectious agents that might be transmitted to humans before importation and during the period of quarantine. Instructions on preventing the spread of infection are given to those who handle monkeys as part of their work. Our medical advice is that these steps are adequate to protect human health.