HL Deb 08 June 1999 vol 601 c149WA
Lord Soulsby of Swaffham Prior

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In the light of their recent announcements on quarantine reform, whether rabies vaccines for pet dogs and cats are now freely available, as is required by European Community Law, to those pet owners wishing to prepare for travel abroad and subsequent return to Britain without quarantine under the proposed new rabies legislation. [HL2692]

Lord Donoughue

Rabies vaccine will be made freely available in due course to owners of cats and dogs participating in the Pet Travel Scheme, EU law does not at present require rabies vaccine to be freely available.

Lord Soulsby of Swaffham Prior

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In the light of their recent announcements on quarantine reform, whether the European laboratories approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries arid Food for rabies antibody sera-testing for "traded" dogs and cats under the Balai Directive will also be approved for rabies antibody sera-testing for "pet" clogs and cats; and, if not, what is the explanation for this, and, if so, whether they will place a list of those laboratories in the Library of the House. [HL2693]

Lord Donoughue

The Advisory Group on Quarantine recommended that, under the new arrangements it proposed for pets, laboratories should be accredited to perform serological tests according to a quality procedure specified and operated by the British authorities. The Government have accepted this recommendation. This is a different procedure to that for "Balai" animals. This is because under the Balai scheme, traded cats and dogs cannot move from their holding of origin before being exported to the UK. This provides an additional guarantee of freedom from rabies. Thus the serological test does not play such a crucial role for Balai animals as it will for ordinary pets which will have moved from their holding of origin. Once the Government have approved a list of laboratories for serological testing under the Pet Travel Scheme, a list will be placed in the Library of the House.