§ Baroness Byfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, and if so on what scientific evidence, new biosecurity rules have been imposed on agricultural shows with regard to animal dung; whether they have the effect of forbidding people to 54WA touch bulls, sheep, dairy cows, pigs or llamas: and, if so, how these restrictions are proportionate compared with the contact with animals which members of the public have when walking in the countryside. [HL4141]
§ Lord WhittyThe Government's veterinary advice is that livestock shows pose a small but significant risk of the transmission of foot and mouth or other notifiable diseases. Faeces, saliva, bedding and unused feed of animals with sub-clinical infection pose a risk of the transmission of disease and the shows licence conditions, developed in full consultation with shows organisers, have been prepared to minimise that risk.
That is why the shows licence conditions require those who tend animals to wear protective clothing and ask shows organisers to take all reasonable steps to stop others from touching animals or things contaminated with animal products. Animals at shows will be in close proximity to the public. Animals in the countryside will pose a lesser risk; they will tend to move away from walkers. Members of the public walking in the countryside will normally avoid walking in animal faeces and if they do inadvertently become contaminated will take steps to remove it.
The need for biosecurity is keenly appreciated by the majority of show organisers. I am pleased that they are taking a responsible attitude to biosecurity to protect livestock farmers and the wider rural community from another devastating outbreak of animal disease.