§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the outbreaks of sheep scab in each month from 1993 to date. [17813]
§ Mrs. BrowningOfficial recording of the number of outbreaks of sheep scab was discontinued after deregulation of compulsory controls in 1992.
§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what progress he has made towards implementing compulsory treatment for sheep scab; and if he will make a statement; [17814]
(2) if he will make sheep scab a notifiable disease. [17815]
328W
§ Mrs. BrowningThe public consultation on draft legislation to introduce new measures to deal with sheep scab ended on 7 February 1997 and the comments received are now being considered. The proposed new measures would enable local authorities to deal with sheep scab on common or open grazing and will introduce criminal offences for failing to treat animals affected with sheep scab and for moving affected animals.
The proposals do not include a re-introduction of compulsory national treatment.
Sheep scab remains within the meaning of "disease" in section 88 of the Animal Health Act 1981 and is therefore still technically notifiable to a police constable. However, our proposals do not include making sheep scab notifiable to the Ministry or local authorities.