§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence his Department has evaluated in support of the policy of quarantine over vaccination with respect to the importation of pets from European Union member states; and if he will make a statement. [33918]
§ Mrs. BrowningThe current policy on quarantine stems from a committee of inquiry—the Waterhouse committee—which was set up in 1970 to review the policy after the outbreaks of 1969 and 1970. This was carefully reviewed in the light of the recommendations in the Agriculture Select Committee report on health controls on the importation of live animals, published on 23 November 1994. Officials are also continually updated on the rabies situation in the European Union through the quarterly reports of the World Health Organisation collaborating centre for rabies surveillance and research and its frequent contacts with a number of other interested bodies, such as the Organisation International de Epizooties and the European Commission.
168W
§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the future of the quarantining of pets imported from member states of the European Union. [33917]
§ Mrs. BrowningI refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend for Weston Super Mare (Sir J. Wiggin) on 25 January 1995,Official Report, columns 216–17.
§ Mr. HarveyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the officially recorded incidences of rabies in pets imported(a) between member states of the European Union and (b) into the United Kingdom from European Union member states since 1996; and if he will make a statement. [33901]
§ Mrs. BrowningThere have been two cases of rabies in pets imported into Great Britain from other European member states since 1966. Both of these were in dogs imported from the German Federal Republic between April and May 1969. The Waterhouse inquiry was set up to review the policy and precautions against rabies following these outbreaks of rabies outside quarantine. It concluded that it was not possible to determine whether these animals were infected when imported or whether they contracted the disease indirectly while in quarantine.
It is not possible without incurring disproportionate costs to list the officially recorded incidences of rabies in pets moved between European Union member states since 1966. We have received comprehensive information on rabies cases within Europe only since 1977. This is compiled by the WHO collaborating centre for rabies surveillance and research, whose data on outbreaks are broken down by country but do not usually include the country of origin of imported animals.