Minister Zeichner's opening statement on Food and Mouth Disease.
"Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a severe, highly contagious
viral disease of livestock that as we know can have a significant
economic impact and a truly devastating effect on farming and
rural communities when outbreaks occur, as we know from past
history.
Now I can assure the House The UK is currently free of FMD and
has been since 2007.
But following the confirmation on the 10 January of FMD in the
German state of Brandenburg, Defra has taken rapid action to
protect the UK including suspending the commercial import of
susceptible animals from Germany and restricting personal imports
of animal products from across the EU.
I can assure the House the Government will do whatever it takes
to protect our nation's farmers from the risk posed by foot and
mouth. Risk levels to the UK we have increased to medium and last
night the Chief Veterinary Officer and I spoke directly with the
Federal Minister and his officials.
The Government has taken decisive and immediate action. The
import of cattle, pigs and sheep from Germany has been stopped to
protect farmers and protect their livelihoods. We will not
hesitate to add additional countries to the list if the disease
spreads and I can inform the house that the Chief Veterinary
Officer has this morning confirmed that while Germany's
surveillance is ongoing, they have not detected any further
cases.
FMD guidance is available on GOV.UK and livestock farmers are
urged to be extra vigilant and report any suspect disease to APHA
immediately and the UK Chief Veterinary Officer is also urging
livestock keepers to remain vigilant to the clinical signs of
FMD. I reiterate there are no cases in the UK currently.
I would also reassure the house that FMD poses no risk to human
or food safety, but is a highly contagious viral disease of
cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven-hoofed animals, livestock
keepers should therefore be absolutely rigorous about their
biosecurity.
The Government is absolutely focused on responding to the animal
disease threats we face and protecting animal health and welfare.
Upholding high biosecurity standards is paramount to protecting
and promoting food production and food safety, for both animal
and human, and to support our economy and trade.
That is why we have invested a further £200 million investment in
the UK's main research and laboratory testing facilities at
Weybridge to bolster protection against animal disease.
Whist we stand ready to protect our livestock from the threat of
FMD and other exotic disease we also offer our support to our
European neighbours as they face this threat to their livestock,
farming and rural communities.
I can assure the house the Government will be decisive and take
the necessary action to protect our farmers from FMD."
