HC Deb 22 November 2001 vol 375 cc423-4W
Mr. Peter Ainsworth

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she intends the slaughter provisions in the Animal Welfare Bill to apply to pet animals. [12412]

Margaret Beckett

[holding answer 5 November 2001]: The slaughter provisions in the Animal Health Act and Bill with respect to foot and mouth disease do not apply to animals which are not susceptible to this disease such as horses, cats and dogs.

Existing provisions in the Animal Health Act 1981 make no distinction between foot and mouth disease-susceptible animals kept as pets and those kept for any other reason. The same approach is taken in the new slaughter provisions under the Animal Health Bill.

Equally, the Bill will not change the current position on exemptions from slaughter, which is that there is specific provision in veterinary instructions for proportionate exceptions at local level based on local veterinary judgment, including where susceptible animals are kept as pets.

Miss McIntosh

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will propose amendments to the Animal Health Bill to cover failures by(a) DEFRA officials, (b) army personnel and (c) veterinary surgeons to respect her Department's bio-security rules. [15648]

Mr. Morley

No. I am aware of the allegations that biosecurity measures were breached by DEFRA officials and others. All such allegations were treated with the utmost seriousness and were investigated. Most cases were found either to be groundless or to be lacking in sufficient detail to enable a thorough investigation. All staff working for DEFRA already have to follow strict biosecurity guidelines.

Mr. Cawsey

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress her Department has made in implementing the recommendation in the Performance and Innovation Unit report on animal welfare and the WTO. [16085]

Mr. Morley

The Government have ensured that the issue of animal welfare is firmly on the WTO negotiating agenda and an integral part of the European Union's comprehensive negotiating proposal.