§ Sir Brian MawhinneyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many suspected foot and mouth disease cases have been reported in Cambridgeshire in the past three months; and, in each case, how much time elapsed between notification of the suspected case and the visit of a Ministry veterinary surgeon. [155070]
§ Ms Quin[holding answer 22 March 2001]In the past three months there has been one suspected case of foot and mouth in Cambridgeshire which proved negative. The case was notified to MAFF, investigated and resolved on 9 March 2001.
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§ Mr. RuaneTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the countries that have endemic foot and mouth that have exported beef to the UK in the past year. [155291]
§ Ms Quin[holding answer 23 March 2001]The importation of meat is permitted from a limited number of countries where foot and mouth disease is present and where the veterinary authorities have contained the disease in specific regions. EC rules permit imports from those regions of the relevant countries which are not considered to pose a risk to human or animal health. Fully matured boneless beef, which does not pose an FMD risk may be imported from other regions subject to veterinary certification. Countries to which these controls currently apply are Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay. Imports of beef have arrived in the UK from all of these countries in the past year with the exception of Colombia where there are no EC approved establishments. Because of their FMD situation prohibitions are currently in place on imports of meat of FMD susceptible species from South Africa, Swaziland and Argentina. All meat imported from third countries is subject to veterinary checks at Border Inspection Posts to ensure that import requirements are met.
§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he has in place to prevent the spread of the foot and mouth infection back from France to Britain. [155991]
§ Ms QuinOn 15 March 2001 the Government acted to make it illegal to import meat and other products of FMD susceptible species from France, unless they comply with the conditions for the export of such products from France set out in Community law.
§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many zoos in(a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland have been temporarily closed since the outbreak of foot and mouth disease. [156329]
§ Mr. MeacherI have been asked to reply.
This information is not held by central Government. However, we understand from the Federation of Zoological Gardens of Great Britain and Ireland, which represents most of the larger zoos in the country, that 39 of its 61 members have been closed or part closed because of foot and mouth. Eight of these have recently re-opened, or are about to re-open. The remaining Federation zoos have either remained open throughout or have been closed for other reasons, such as flooding or the winter season.