DEPARTMENT FOR
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS News Release (News Release ref
:383/08) issued by COI News Distribution Service. 9 December 2008
The
Government's updated Exotic Animal Disease Contingency Plan
was laid in Parliament today.
The revised plan is produced by Animal Health for Defra, and
includes changes which have been subject to formal public
consultation. This includes a framework response plan for dealing
with exotic animal diseases and plans for responding to specific
diseases including Foot and Mouth Disease, Avian Influenza and
Newcastle Disease.
The changes to the plan reflect lessons identified from the
incidents handled during 2008 and address recommendations made in
Sir Iain Anderson's review of the 2007 outbreak of Foot and
Mouth Disease and feedback from the public consultation. Jane
Kennedy, Minister for Farming and the Environment said:
"An animal disease outbreak can be devastating for those
concerned. Defra remains totally committed to ensuring we learn
lessons from our experience of outbreaks, so that we can make sure
we respond effectively in future". The Contingency Plan is
subject to ongoing revision based on the latest scientific advice,
developments in policy, comments from stakeholders and operational
partners together with the lessons identified from disease outbreaks.
Notes to editors:
1. The Contingency Plan can be accessed on the Defra website at
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/control/contingency/index.htm.
2. Section 18 of the Animal Health Act 2002 requires that the
appropriate authority must prepare a document (national
contingency plan) indicating the arrangements the authority
intends to put in place for the purpose of dealing with any
occurrence of Foot and Mouth Disease, Avian Influenza and
Newcastle Disease, and other diseases as the authority specifies,
and requires that the document be laid before Parliament. Plans
must be reviewed at least annually.
2. The Contingency Plan is comprised of two parts:
* An Overview of Emergency Preparedness which provides details of
how we have prepared for the operational response; and
* The Framework Response Plan which is a high level operational
manual for those involved in managing the response.
3. Details of control policies can be found on the Defra website
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/
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