A new body to take
responsibility for animal health is among major changes proposed
by Environment Secretary Hilary Benn in a new Bill on Animal
Health which is being published today.
Other measures in the draft Animal Health Bill, which has been
drawn up following extensive public consultation, include:
· Making statutory the role of Chief Veterinary Officer (UK),
based at Defra;
· A new Chief Veterinary Officer for England;
· Widening existing powers in England and Wales to collect and
test veterinary samples and to vaccinate animals;
· Simplifying payments for slaughtered animals or property seized
or destroyed for disease control purposes in England and Wales.
The proposed animal health organisation would be led by an
independent chair and board.
The Government has also consulted on proposals for
thelivestock sector to pay some of the costs of animal
disease monitoring and prevention which are currently met by
Defra. These cost sharing measures will be introduced under a
future Finance Bill. Cost and responsibility sharing for the
livestock industry was recommended by Sir Iain Anderson in his
report on the 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak.
Hilary Benn said:
“Outbreaks of animal disease are bad for everyone – animals,
their keepers, and for society. Protecting animals and people from
the effects of potentially devastating diseases like foot and
mouth, bluetongue and African Horse Sickness costs the public
about £400million a year.
“The proposals we are putting forward are in response to Sir Iain
Anderson’s report on the 2001 foot and mouth outbreak. I believe
that a partnership through the new animal health body – where the
industry can contribute to decisions about animal health – will
produce better management of disease and reduce overall risks and
costs. This approach was very successful in tackling bluetongue,
where industry and the Government developed a vaccination policy
together and shared the cost of the vaccine.
“This Bill will therefore set up a joint Government-industry body
to make animal health decisions in future. Proposals for cost
sharing will come forward in a future Finance Bill.”
For more information go to:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/policy/animalhealth/sharing/ahbill/index.htm
Contacts:
Defra Press Office
Phone: 020 7238 6600
NDS.DEFRA@coi.gsi.gov.uk