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Animals: Exotic Diseases

My right honourable friend the Minister for Agriculture and Food (Jim Paice) has today made the following Statement. I have today laid before Parliament the national contingency plan for exotic notifiable diseases of animals in accordance with Section 14A of the Animal Health Act 1981 (as amended) this provision came into force on 24 March 2003. This plan sets out the operational response arrangements Defra will put in place to deal with any occurrence of foot and mouth disease, avian influenza or Newcastle disease. The plan is also applicable to all other exotic diseases of animals. The plan outlines the systems and structures that are established and details the roles and responsibilities of Ministers and officials during an outbreak of disease and highlights the work undertaken on preparedness for an outbreak. It replaces Defra’s contingency plan for exotic animal diseases, which was laid before Parliament on 15 December 2009. Defra’s contingency plan is very much a living document. It will be subject to ongoing revision, taking on the latest developments in science, research, and epidemiological modelling together with lessons identified from outbreaks. To meet the provisions of the Animal Health Act, the plan will also be subject to annual review.