§ Mr. David ShawTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made of the potential rabies threat to the United Kingdom arising from changes in the regulations to control rabies in France. [3448]
§ Mrs. BrowningNew regulations in France provide for a programme of oral vaccination of foxes which, in practice, has been operational for the past seven years. The number of French departments deemed infested with rabies has fallen from 36 in 1991 to 22 in 1996. The Government note however that rabies is still present in France and believes that measures to keep the UK rabies-free remain essential.
§ Mr. ShawTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will assess the implications for United Kingdom rabies control policy of trends in the import of domestic dogs and cats into Sweden since 1994. [3449]
§ Mrs. BrowningWe will be taking account of the trends in the import of domestic dogs and cats into Sweden since 1994 as part of the review of rabies policy, announced in my reply of 5 November 1996 to the hon. Member for Glanford and Scunthorpe (Mr. Morley),Official Report, column 488.