§ Mr. Fabian HamiltonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of anti-rabies precautions within the Channel Tunnel. [24789]
§ Mr. RookerThe controls in place to prevent animals from entering the channel tunnel, which include fencing, video recording, routine surveillance by service personnel, deterrent lighting, and routine baiting for small animals are considered to be very effective anti-rabies precautions. No rabies susceptible animal has ever succeeded in passing through the tunnel. There have however been considerable operational problems with the electrified grids within the tunnel. We are pressing Eurotunnel to get the grids back in operation which is a legal requirement.