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Kerb Crawling
Mr. Cox : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of motorists convicted of kerb crawling in the Greater London area from January to October 1991.
Mr. John Patten : Information is not yet available for 1990 and 1991. In England and Wales in 1989 there were
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891 males convicted of kerb crawling. Of these 49 were within the Metropolitan police district and none within the City of London police force area.Criminal Injuries (Compensation)
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time which elapses between the date of criminal injury and the payment of compensation in respect of that injury.
Mr. John Patten : The Criminal Injuries Compensation Board does not record centrally the period between the dates of incident and registration of claim. Nor does it produce an average time for processing applications. However, percentages of cases completed within certain periods of registration are shown in the board's annual reports, copies of which are in the Library.
Crime Statistics
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of incidents recorded per uniformed police officer for the year 1990-91 in (a) Weybridge, Surrey and (b) Newcastle upon Tyne.
Mr. John Patten : Figures are not available.
Northumbria Police Authority
Mr. Cousins : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to reply to recent representations from the Northumbria police authority.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : My right hon. Friend has received a request from Northumbria police authority for a special payment to meet costs arising from the recent disturbances on Tyneside. This is receiving urgent consideration and my right hon. Friend will reply as soon as possible.
Political Asylum
Mr. Madden : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Mr. Daya Pal Singh and his wife (S 672230/2(S)), Mr. Harvinder Pal Singh (S 672231/2 (S)) and Mr. Hari Pal Singh (S 672909/2 (S)), all relatives of Mr. Mohinder Paul Singh Bedi of Hayes, applied for political asylum in the United Kingdom ; what is their current status in the United Kingdom ; and if he will make a statement.
The hon. Member will understand that it has been the practice of successive Governments not to confirm or deny whether an individual has made a claim for political asylum in the United Kingdom.
Police Cells
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment is made of the mental health of people held on remand in police cells in England and Wales when they are remanded.
Mrs. Angela Rumbold : Arrangements for caring for prisoners in police cells are for chief officers of police. I understand that the prisoners concerned are normally assessed by a police doctor on reception.
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Prison Accommodation
Mr. Tony Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are taken to ensure that prisoners for whom prison cell accommodation is not suitable are given acceptable alternatives.
Mrs. Angela Rumbold : The only circumstances under which prison cell accommodation could be considered unsuitable would be on medical grounds. In such cases the inmate would be accommodated in the establishment's health centre or, if necessary, transferred to hospital.
Children and Young Persons Act
Dr. Godman : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state (a) the number of children detained in relation to section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 in each of the past 15 years, (b) the average length of detention or imprisonment undertaken by such offenders, (c) how many have been released under licence and (d) in how many cases licences were revoked ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Angela Rumbold [holding answer 13 November 1991] : The readily available information on the number of persons sentenced in England and Wales to detention under section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 is given in table 1. The lengths of sentence imposed on those sentenced under section 53(2) are shown in table 2. Further information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Information about the number of juveniles received into and detained in prison service establishments under section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 are published annually in "Prison Statistics England and Wales", tables 3.2 and 3.13 of the volume for 1989, Cm 1221, copies of which are in the Library.
The numbers of prisoners released from prison service establishments in England and Wales on licence from
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detention during Her Majesty's pleasure under section 53(1) or for life under section 53(2), showing the average times served, are given in table 3.The majority of prisoners discharged from determinate detention under section 53(2) are released on licence before the end of sentence. In 1987, of the 140 detainees released from prison service establishments, about 90 were released on licence ; in 1988 the figures were 120 and 100.
The numbers recalled in 1990 from licence after determinate sentences under the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 are published in table 5 of the Parole Board's annual report for 1990 (HC 481), a copy of which is in the Library.
Table 1
Persons sentenced under Section 53 of the
Children and Young Persons Act 1933: 1975-89
England and Wales
Number of persons
|Section 53(1)|Section 53(2)|Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1975 |6 |45 |51
1976 |7 |51 |58
1977 |10 |59 |69
1978 |9 |81 |90
1979 |26 |54 |80
1980 |19 |64 |83
1981 |16 |71 |87
1982 |31 |81 |112
1983 |16 |69 |85
1984 |22 |99 |121
1985 |18 |154 |172
1986 |16 |156 |172
1987 |19 |154 |173
1988 |22 |177 |199
<1>1989 |15 |115 |130
<1>Comparisons with prison receptions data suggests there may have
been under recording in 1989.
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Table 2
Persons sentenced under Section 53(2) Children and Young Persons Act 1933 by length of sentence, 1984-1989
England and Wales Number of persons
Length of sentence |1984 |1985 |1986 |1987 |1988 |<1>1989
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Up to 4 months |- |- |1 |- |- |1
Over 4 months and up to 6 months |- |- |1 |1 |1 |-
Over 6 months and up to 1 year |1 |1 |2 |6 |4 |3
Over 1 year and up to 18 months |6 |9 |9 |3 |4 |1
Over 18 months and up to 2 years |23 |39 |30 |36 |32 |20
Over 2 years and up to 3 years |39 |70 |71 |59 |88 |66
Over 3 years and up to 4 years |17 |20 |21 |23 |25 |10
Over 4 years and up to 5 years |5 |10 |13 |14 |12 |9
Over 5 years and up to 7 years |4 |3 |3 |7 |8 |1
Over 7 years and up to 10 years |1 |1 |2 |2 |2 |-
Over 10 years, excluding life |1 |- |- |1 |- |-
Life |2 |1 |3 |2 |1 |4
|--- |--- |--- |--- |--- |---
Total |99 |154 |156 |154 |177 |115
<1>Comparisons with prison receptions data suggests that there may have been under recording in 1989.
Table 3
Prisoners released on licence from Prison Service
establishments in England and Wales from detention during
Her Majesty's pleasure or for life under Section 53,
Children and Young Persons Act 1933: by year of release and
average time served, 1976-90
Year |Number |Time served<1>
|(years)
------------------------------------------------------------
1976 |8 |7.4
1977 |3 |9.1
1978 |8 |7.7
1979 |4 |7.5
1980 |5 |8.8
1981 |6 |8.6
1982 |6 |8.4
1983 |9 |8.4
1984 |4 |7.4
1985 |8 |8.5
1986 |9 |9.1
1987 |11 |11.9
1988 |2 |9.8
1989 |7 |10.2
<2>1990 |6 |13.1
<1> Excluding any time spent on remand in custody, in
non-Prison Service establishments or following any
subsequent recall.
<2> Provisional Figures.
Publicity
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide an up-to-date list of each television advertising campaign carried out, or to be carried out, by (a) the Home Office and (b) the Metropolitan police during 1991-92, and of each other publicity campaign costing more than £100,000, giving for each (i) the topic, (ii) the commencement date, (iii) the duration and (iv) the advertising, promotional and public relations companies involved.
Mr. Kenneth Baker [pursuant to his reply, 5 November 1991, c. 34- 36] : The Commissioner has told me that in 1991-92 the Metropolitan police service is funding one television advertising campaign, which is for police recruitment. This is a part of recruitment advertising for the service which, in this period, is the only campaign costing more than £100,000. It is a continuing campaign carried on throughout the year and is being handled by Collett, Dickenson, Pearce and Partners Ltd. and Moxon, Dolphin and Kerby.
THE ARTS
Library Association
Mr. Fisher : To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations he has received from the Library Association about the views he attributed to the association in his reply to the hon. Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Mrs. Dunwoody) on 11 November, Official Report, column 776.
Mr. Renton : I am glad to have this opportunity of correcting a slip of the tongue in my reply to a supplementary question from the hon. Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Mrs. Dunwoody) on 11 November, Official Report, column 776. I referred to the Library Association when I intended to quote the report "Libraries Choice", which said that the key issues facing public library authorities were not necessarily financial but were those of attitude, choice and commitment. I have acknowledged this in a letter to the Library Association and have copied the exchange of correspondence to the hon. Members for Crewe and Nantwich and for Stoke on Trent, Central.
WALES
Special Schools
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the initiatives he has taken to assist pupils and teachers in special schools ; and if he will make a statement.
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Sir Wyn Roberts : It is for local education authorities to ensure that appropriate provision is made in schools for children with special educational needs. The Welsh Office has issued guidance to LEAs and others on staffing for pupils with special needs and on the procedures associated with the assessment and statementing processes of the Education Act 1981. Further, the Department has made grant available, which is being continued in 1992-93, under the grants for education support and training scheme (GEST), for the in-service training of teachers of pupils who are visually or hearing impaired or who have severe learning difficulties and for the initial training of educational psychologists.
More widely, we are providing support to LEAs under the GEST programme for the implementation of school teacher appraisal schemes. Appraisal will help teachers, including those in special schools, to improve their professional skills and develop their full potential.
Blind and Partially Sighted People
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he proposes to assist the blind and the partially sighted ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 12 November 1991.
Hearing Impaired People
Mr. Barry Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he proposes to assist those who are deaf or hearing impaired.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Under the provisions of the NHS and Community Care Act 1990, social services authorities are to publish their first social care plans by 1 April 1992. These plans, which in Wales are to be prepared jointly with all other relevant authorities and service providers, and representatives of user and carer interests, will include hearing impairment services and set out the way in which authorities intend to assess and meet peoples needs. The Welsh Office has issued guidance to the authorities on the preparation and content of these plans and on assessment and care management.
This has recently been supplemented by the publication of the latest of the Welsh Health Planning Forum's protocols for investment in health services to achieve health gain, which covers the needs of those with physical or sensory disabilities. The Welsh Office is working closely with authorities in the preparation of draft plans to ensure that they address adequately the needs of all client groups. The Welsh Office is making available £1.6 million in the current financial year to encourage the development of more flexible forms of community care for elderly people and those with physical and/or sensory disabilities. So far, 39 projects have been approved, with more in the pipeline, and a circular inviting applications for schemes beginning in 1992-93 was issued in October. We are also making available £600,000 in 1991-92 to organisations active at an all-Wales level in promoting the interests of the elderly and of those with disabilities. Among these are the Wales Council for the Disabled (£250,000) and the Wales Council for the Deaf (£94,000). The Children Act, which came into effect from 14 October, lays a general duty on social services authorities to promote the welfare of children who are in need by
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providing an appropriate range and level of services. Section 17 of the Act defines children in need so as to include deaf or hearing impaired children. The provision of education for such children is a matter for local education authorities. However, the Welsh Office has made grant available, which is to continue in 1992-93, under the grants for education support and training programme for the in-service training of teachers of the deaf/hearing impaired. Further, the Department has invited bids for grant aid under GEST for the development of a regional centre for the educational needs of those who are deaf and blind. Bids are currently being considered.Homelessness
Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in each district council area are (a) registered as homeless or (b) on the housing waiting list.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : (a) People do not register as homeless but present themselves, together with other members of their household, to the housing authority. The numbers of people within households accepted as homeless by local authorities under the Housing Act 1985 in the quarter ended 30 June 1991 are given in the following table :
Persons accepted as homeless:
quarter ending 30 June 1991
|Number
------------------------------------
Aberconwy |26
Alyn and Deeside |165
Arfon |23
Blaenau Gwent |196
Brecknock |78
Cardiff |1,129
Carmarthen |47
Ceredigion |47
Colwyn |33
Cynon Valley |284
Delyn |191
Dinefwr |79
Dwyfor |24
Glyndwr |30
Islwyn |97
Llanelli |74
Lliw Valley |46
Meirionnydd |79
Merthyr Tydfil |103
Monmouth |83
Montgomeryshire |71
Neath |170
Newport |793
Ogwr |309
Port Talbot |109
Preseli Pembrokeshire |63
Radnorshire |15
Rhondda |86
Rhuddlan |50
Rhymney Valley |95
South Pembrokeshire |60
Swansea |499
Taff-Ely |196
Torfaen |249
Vale of Glamorgan |233
Wrexham Maelor |176
Ynys Mon |31
|----
Wales total |6,039
(b) No information is available centrally.
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Home Repossessions
Dr. Kim Howells : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many homes have been repossessed by loan or mortgage companies and building societies in each county of Wales during the current year.
Mr. Nicholas Bennett : Only the total numbers of warrants of repossession are available ; those relating specifically to mortgages are not collected separately. However, separate data are available on the number of repossession orders made following mortgage actions. The numbers given in the following table relate to totals of orders made through courts within an area and as such do not correspond directly to the number of homes within that area on which orders were made.
Repossession Orders made following Mortgage Actions<1>
|January-September 1991
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Clwyd |542
Dyfed |608
Gwent |855
Gwynedd |445
Mid Glamorgan |1,203
Powys |98
South Glamorgan |918
West Glamorgan |719
Wales |5,388
Source: Lord Chancellor's Department.
<1> Figures include suspended orders, whereby the mortgagees are
given an opportunity to clear their debts.
Geography
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to publish an order to introduce a geography short course for key stage 4 in the national curriculum.
Mr. David Hunt : I have published today an order specifying the attainment targets and programmes of study for a short geography course at key stage 4. These documents will come into effect from August 1994.
NATIONAL FINANCE
Bank Notes
Mr. Nicholls : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) when he last considered the privatisation of the Bank of England printing works at Loughton, Essex ; what conclusions were reached ; and what is the latest estimate of the proceeds that would accrue from such a privatisation ;
(2) if he will make it his policy to seek competitive tenders for the production of Bank of England bank notes ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Maples : The printing of bank notes is the Bank of England's responsibility. The bank is, however, fully conscious of the need to ensure that bank notes are produced as cheaply as possible, consistent with maintaining the security and integrity of the note issue and it has assured me that it will take whatever steps it considers necessary to achieve that.
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BCCI
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has about the invoicing of fees by Price Waterhouse to the Bank of Credit and Commerce International.
Bank Regulation
Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any plans to create a Banking Commission to regulate all banks in the United Kingdom.
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Income Disposal
Mrs. Beckett : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the percentage of gross earnings going in (a) income tax, (b) national insurance contributions, (c) VAT, (d) other indirect taxes and (e) the poll tax, of (i) a single person, (ii) a married couple both working, and (iii) a married couple with two children, on (1) 50 per cent., (2) 75 per cent., (3) 100 per cent., (4) 150 per cent., (5) 200 per cent., (6) 500 per cent. and (7) 1,000 per cent. of average earnings in each year since 1978-79
Mr. Maude [holding answer 19 November 1991] : Figures for 1978-79 to 1987-88 have been placed in the Library of the House, as noted in the Official Report, 13 April 1989, column 624. Figures for 1988-89 and 1989-90 were published in the Official Report, 5 July 1990, columns 699- 702. Updated figures for 1990-91 and the latest estimates for 1991-92 are given in the tables.
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Income tax, NICS and indirect tax payments at multiples of average earnings, 1990-91 and
1991-92-percentages of gross earnings
Multiples of average earnings
|0.5 |0.75 |1 |1.5 |2 |5 |10
|per cent.|per cent.|per cent.|per cent.|per cent.|per cent.|per cent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990-91
Single people
Income tax |15.6 |18.7 |20.3 |22.0 |26.5 |34.6 |37.3
NICs |6.9 |7.6 |8.0 |6.1 |4.6 |1.8 |0.9
VAT |4.9 |4.9 |5.1
Other indirect |7.4 |6.9 |6.6
Total income tax and NICs |22.5 |26.3 |28.3 |28.1 |31.1 |36.4 |38.2
Married, two children
Income tax |0.8 |8.8 |12.9 |17.0 |22.0 |32.8 |36. 4
NICs |6.9 |7.6 |8.0 |6.1 |4.6 |1.8 |0.9
VAT |4.4 |4.8 |5.4
Other indirect |8.0 |7.1 |6.3
Total income tax and NICs |7.7 |16.4 |20.9 |23.1 |26.6 |34.6 |37.3
Married, both working
Income tax |0.8 |8.9 |12.9 |16.9 |18.9 |28.3 |34.2
NICs |4.8 |6.2 |6.9 |7.6 |7.7 |3.7 |1.8
VAT |5.1 |5.3 |5.5
Other indirect |9.5 |8.3 |7.2
Total income tax and NICs |5.6 |15.1 |19.8 |24.5 |26.6 |32.0 |36.0
1991-92
Single people
Income tax |15.4 |18.6 |20.2 |21.8 |25.8 |34.3 |37.2
NICs |6.8 |7.5 |7.9 |6.3 |4.8 |1.9 |1.0
VAT |5.4 |5.4 |5.6
Other indirect |7.5 |7.0 |6.7
Total income tax and NICs |22.2 |26.1 |28.1 |28.1 |30.6 |36.2 |38.2
Married, two children
Income tax |0.7 |8.8 |12.8 |16.9 |21.4 |32.5 |36.3
NICs |6.8 |7.5 |7.9 |6.3 |4.8 |1.9 |1.0
VAT |4.9 |5.4 |6.0
Other indirect |8.1 |7.2 |6.4
Total income tax and NICs |7.5 |16.3 |20.7 |23.2 |26.2 |34.4 |37.3
Married, both working
Income tax |0.8 |8.9 |12.9 |16.9 |19.0 |27.9 |33.9
NICs |4.6 |6.1 |6.8 |7.5 |7.8 |3.8 |1.9
VAT |5.7 |5.9 |6.1
Other indirect |9.6 |8.5 |7.3
Total income tax and NICs |5.4 |15.0 |19.7 |24.4 |26.8 |31.7 |35.8
Notes:
1. Income tax payments are calculated on the assumption that the households receive no tax reliefs other
than the standard allowances and only have income from employment. All earners, including wives, are
assumed to pay class 1 NI contributions at the contracted-in rate.
2. Since 1990-91, husbands and wives have been taxed independently. Previously the tax liability of couples
depended on their joint income. To permit comparisons with earlier years, the table therefore shows income
tax and national insurance contributions paid by a married couple as a proportion of their joint income,
assuming, as in the earlier years, that where both partners are earners, the husband and wife share the
relevant multiple of earnings in the ratio 60:40.
3. In order to provide comparability with 1978-79, when support for children was given partly through child
tax allowance, child benefit is treated as a negative income tax for the married couple with two children. (
For 1991-92, the child benefit figure is a financial year average).
4. Average earnings are taken to be the average gross weekly earnings of all full-time males on adult rates
with pay unaffected by absence. These are estimated to be £307.00 per week in 1990-91 and £330.80 per week
in 1991-92, using the Government Actuary's Department's assumption of 73/4 per cent. growth in whole
economy underlying earnings over 1990-91 as published in the 1991 autumn statement.
5. The estimates of indirect taxes are based on equations derived from the 1985 family expenditure survey,
uprated to later years using forecasts of aggregate tax receipts. They are based on the illustrative
assumption that 10 per cent. of disposable income is saved. There are wide variations in spending patterns
between households with the same composition and similar incomes and estimated payments of VAT and other
indirect taxes are therefore approximate, even within the income range for which figures are shown. Outside
this range, the margin of error is even higher and reliable estimates cannot be made. Because of sampling
variation, there can be substantial differences between estimates obtained from family expenditure surveys
for different years.
6. It has not been possible to make satisfactory estimates of the burden of the community charge in the
absence of sample survey results, which would enable actual payments net of adjustments arising the
community charge reduction scheme etc. to be related to earnings.
Bank Loans
Mr. Hain : To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give comparable figures for the proportion of bank loans to industry which are for periods of five years or more, for each OECD country, for the latest year for which figures are available.
Mr. Maples [holding answer 18 November 1991] : No data are available in the form requested--that is,
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differentiating loans for terms of more or less than five years. However, data are available for loans for more or less than two years--the standard system of national accounts split short term v. long term--for the countries shown in the table. These are published in OECD Financial Statistics Part 3, Non-Financial Enterprises Financial Statements balance sheets. The figures are for amounts outstanding in the latest year available, as indicated.Column 175
Country (currency/unit) |Year |Short-term |Long-term |Proportion of long
|loans A |loans B |term loans to total
|(up to 2 years) |(more than 2 years) |loans B/(A+B)
|Per cent.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Austria (Sch billion) |1985 |83 |68 |45.0
Belgium (BFr billion) |1988 |655 |890 |57.6
Japan (Yen trillion) |1988 |221 |173 |43.9
Netherlands (Fl billion) |1988 |29 |42 |58.9
Spain (Pta billion) |1989 |1,695 |4,478 |72.5
United Kingdom (£ billion) |1989 |20 |20 |49.8
United States ($ billion) |1989 |152 |462 |75.3
Yugoslavia (D billion) |1984 |1,599 |2,922 |64.6
PRIME MINISTER
Debt Relief
Mr. Campbell-Savours : To ask the Prime Minister whether he has any plans to extend the debt relief he announced at the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit to all low income debtor countries.
The Prime Minister : There are no plans to extend Trinidad terms beyond the poorest and most indebted countries. There is widespread agreement that these countries have the most pressing problems. It is right, therefore, that our priority should be to address their problems. So far 22 very poor and indebted countries have benefited from the existing Toronto terms debt reduction package--another United Kingdom initiative. Although the precise criteria for eligibility for the Trinidad terms package are still being worked out in practice, those that qualify will enjoy a much more generous treatment than that presently available under Toronto terms.
AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Salmonella
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he has made in his negotiations in the Council of Ministers in introducing Community-wide measures to control salmonella in poultry units.
Mr. Maclean : We have continued to press for Community-wide controls on salmonella to be introduced as soon as possible. The European Commission has now published proposals for a regulation on the control of
Column 176
salmonella and certain other zoonoses throughout the European Community. This is a significant step forward and will provide a useful framework for discussions.Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his current policy on slaughtering salmonella-infected egg- laying poultry flocks.
Mr. Maclean : Poultry laying flocks in which the presence of salmonella enteritidis has been confirmed are required to be compulsorily slaughtered with compensation. On 31 October we announced that owners of poultry laying flocks infected with salmonella enteritidis and poultry breeding flocks infected with salmonella enteritidis or salmonella typhimurium would be given the option of sending their eggs for pasteurisation. This option will become available when pasteurisation plants have applied for, and have been granted, approval to process eggs from infected flocks.
Fallen Animals
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has concerning the numbers of dead farm animals disposed of improperly ; and if he will collect details from highways authorities concerning the numbers of farm animal carcasses they collect.
Mr. Maclean : We have received some reports of unburied animals and illegal dumping, but as the Agriculture Select Committee accepted in its recent report, most are anecdotal. However, the state veterinary service continues to monitor the situation very closely in consultation with all interested authorities.
Column 177
Quarantine
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has concerning the number of attempts to break Britain's animal quarantine laws during the last two years ; what species of animals were involved ; and how many confirmed cases of rabies have been identified in animals either in or outside quarantine during that period.
Mr. Maclean : There were 80 prosecutions in 1989 and 1990 for breaches of the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and Other Mammals) Order 1974, as amended. The majority involved dogs and cats. Others related to rodents, primates, rabbits, ferrets, a hedgehog and a margay cat. Since the beginning of 1989, there has been one case of rabies identified in a dog in quarantine.
Battery Cages
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made at the Council of Ministers in respect of the development of new standards of battery cages for laying poultry.
Mr. Maclean : The Commission is reviewing egg production systems, as required by the EC battery hens directive. I understand that its report, with proposals for revised welfare standards, is likely to be submitted to the Council in the second half of 1992. The United Kingdom will be pressing for significant improvements in welfare conditions and for the directive to be extended to non-cage systems.
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Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research he is undertaking into cattle disease indistinguishable in symptoms from BSE but not proven as BSE by post-mortem examination.
Mr. Maclean : There are several common diseases of cattle in which the clinical signs are similar to some of the symptoms of BSE, most notably hypomagnesaemia, nervous ketosis, hypocalacemia and listeriosis. A proportion of clinically suspect cases of BSE which do not have the post- mortem changes of the disease is therefore to be expected. Hypersensitivity, agression or recumbency may frequently prevent investigations into alternative causes either because farm staff will be at risk of injury, or because suspects have to be destroyed in order to prevent further suffering. Nevertheless, histopathological studies of the brains of such cattle have been carried out and no new significant neurological diseases have been detected. We will continue to monitor such cases through the epidemic.
Mr. Ron Davies : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a table for each county of England and Wales for each month of 1991 to date showing the number of cattle slaughtered as BSE suspect ; and how many and what percentage of cases were subsequently confirmed by post-mortem examinations.
Mr. Maclean : The information requested is in the table :
Column 177
Number of suspect BSE animals slaughtered
January 1991
County |Total |Number + |Percentage +|Number
|slaughtered |VE confirmed|VE confirmed|pending
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon |63 |43 |72.88 |4
Bedfordshire |6 |4 |66.67 |0
Berkshire |11 |8 |72.73 |0
Buckinghamshire |15 |15 |100.00 |0
Cambridgeshire |6 |6 |100.00 |0
Cheshire |77 |74 |96.10 |0
Cleveland |3 |2 |66.67 |0
Clwyd |33 |29 |96.67 |3
Cornwall |159 |130 |81.76 |0
Cumbria |34 |31 |91.18 |0
Derbyshire |35 |32 |91.43 |0
Devon |200 |181 |90.50 |0
Dorset |179 |157 |87.71 |0
Durham |7 |4 |57.14 |0
Dyfed |113 |105 |92.92 |0
Essex |6 |5 |83.33 |0
Mid Glamorgan |2 |1 |50.00 |0
South Glamorgan |5 |4 |80.00 |0
Gloucestershire |73 |62 |84.93 |0
Gwent |13 |9 |69.23 |0
Gwynedd |5 |4 |80.00 |0
Hampshire |64 |54 |85.71 |1
Hereford and Worcester |38 |30 |78.95 |0
Hertfordshire |8 |7 |87.50 |0
Humberside |8 |6 |75.00 |0
Isle of Wight |14 |12 |85.71 |0
Kent |36 |34 |94.44 |0
Lancashire |50 |44 |88.00 |0
Leicestershire |49 |46 |93.88 |0
Lincolnshire |21 |21 |100.00 |0
London |1 |1 |100.00 |0
Manchester |6 |6 |100.00 |0
Norfolk |37 |32 |88.89 |1
Northamptonshire |8 |8 |100.00 |0
Northumberland |7 |7 |100.00 |0
Nottinghamshire |11 |10 |90.91 |0
Oxfordshire |18 |18 |100.00 |0
Powys |21 |17 |80.95 |0
Shropshire |47 |40 |85.11 |0
Somerset |290 |241 |84.56 |5
Staffordshire |35 |29 |82.86 |0
Suffolk |37 |34 |91.89 |0
Surrey |14 |11 |78.57 |0
Sussex East |32 |28 |87.50 |0
Sussex West |42 |41 |97.62 |0
West Midlands |2 |1 |50.00 |0
Tyne and Wear |1 |0 |0.00 |0
Warwickshire |19 |14 |73.68 |0
Wiltshire |140 |110 |78.57 |0
Yorkshire North |78 |61 |78.21 |0
Yorkshire South |9 |9 |100.00 |0
Yorkshire West |8 |7 |87.50 |0
Number of suspect BSE animals slaughtered
February 1991
County |Total |Number + |Percentage +|Number
|slaughtered |VE confirmed|VE confirmed|pending
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon |73 |42 |64.62 |8
Bedfordshire |9 |9 |100.00 |0
Berkshire |11 |8 |72.73 |0
Buckinghamshire |16 |11 |68.75 |0
Cambridgeshire |3 |3 |100.00 |0
Cheshire |60 |54 |90.00 |0
Cleveland |1 |0 |0.00 |0
Clwyd |28 |20 |90.91 |3
Cornwall |120 |83 |69.17 |0
Cumbria |43 |37 |86.05 |0
Derbyshire |27 |25 |92.59 |0
Devon |169 |148 |88.10 |0
Dorset |135 |114 |84.44 |0
Durham |9 |8 |88.89 |0
Dyfed |70 |62 |88.57 |0
Essex |4 |3 |75.00 |0
Mid Glamorgan |2 |2 |100.00 |0
South Glamorgan |2 |2 |100.00 |0
Gloucestershire |51 |47 |92.16 |0
Gwent |11 |10 |90.91 |0
Gwynedd |5 |3 |60.00 |0
Hampshire |41 |27 |65.85 |1
Hereford and Worcester |33 |31 |93.94 |0
Hertfordshire |6 |5 |83.33 |0
Humberside |8 |6 |75.00 |0
Isle of Wight |10 |10 |100.00 |0
Kent |23 |19 |82.61 |0
Lancashire |47 |41 |87.23 |0
Leicestershire |34 |30 |88.24 |0
Lincolnshire |9 |9 |100.00 |0
London |4 |3 |100.00 |0
Manchester |5 |5 |100.00 |0
Norfolk |25 |16 |64.00 |1
Northamptonshire |14 |13 |92.86 |0
Northumberland |13 |12 |92.31 |0
Nottinghamshire |5 |4 |80.00 |0
Oxfordshire |32 |20 |64.52 |0
Powys |18 |13 |72.22 |0
Shropshire |34 |33 |97.06 |0
Somerset |200 |173 |87.37 |5
Staffordshire |36 |24 |66.67 |0
Suffolk |16 |14 |87.50 |0
Surrey |6 |6 |100.00 |0
Sussex East |24 |18 |75.00 |0
Sussex West |52 |43 |82.69 |0
West Glamorgan |2 |2 |100.00 |0
West Midlands |1 |1 |100.00 |0
Warwickshire |15 |14 |93.33 |0
Wiltshire |120 |101 |84.87 |0
Yorkshire North |67 |56 |83.58 |0
Yorkshire South |4 |4 |100.00 |0
Yorkshire West |4 |4 |100.00 |0
Column 181
Number of suspect BSE animals slaughtered
March 1991
County |Total |Number + |Percentage +|Number
|slaughtered |VE confirmed|VE confirmed|pending
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon |63 |47 |83.93 |7
Bedfordshire |5 |5 |100.00 |0
Berkshire |11 |11 |100.00 |0
Buckinghamshire |16 |15 |93.75 |0
Cambridgeshire |6 |6 |100.00 |0
Cheshire |58 |49 |84.48 |0
Clwyd |32 |19 |76.00 |7
Cornwall |174 |141 |81.03 |0
Cumbria |39 |34 |87.18 |0
Derbyshire |28 |26 |92.86 |0
Devon |249 |213 |86.23 |2
Dorset |170 |143 |84.12 |0
Durham |3 |3 |100.00 |0
Dyfed |96 |83 |86.46 |0
Essex |17 |9 |64.29 |3
Mid Glamorgan |9 |9 |100.00 |0
West Glamorgan |1 |1 |100.00 |0
Gloucestershire |45 |36 |80.00 |0
Gwent |17 |15 |88.24 |0
Gwynedd |4 |4 |100.00 |0
Hampshire |82 |72 |88.89 |1
Hereford and Worcester |32 |30 |93.75 |0
Hertfordshire |7 |6 |85.71 |0
Humberside |5 |5 |100.00 |0
Isle of Wight |12 |11 |91.67 |0
Kent |29 |24 |82.76 |0
Lancashire |71 |62 |88.57 |1
Leicestershire |40 |39 |97.50 |0
Lincolnshire |6 |6 |100.00 |0
London |2 |2 |100.00 |0
Manchester |2 |2 |100.00 |0
Merseyside |2 |1 |50.00 |0
Norfolk |39 |35 |92.11 |1
Northamptonshire |20 |14 |70.00 |0
Northumberland |11 |10 |90.91 |0
Nottinghamshire |15 |13 |86.67 |0
Oxfordshire |26 |24 |92.31 |0
Powys |21 |14 |66.67 |0
Shropshire |39 |36 |92.31 |0
Somerset |246 |197 |83.12 |9
Staffordshire |37 |26 |70.27 |0
Suffolk |18 |17 |94.44 |0
Surrey |22 |21 |95.45 |0
Sussex East |21 |17 |80.95 |0
Sussex West |49 |44 |89.80 |0
Tyne and Wear |1 |1 |100.00 |0
Warwickshire |21 |19 |90.48 |0
Wiltshire |121 |86 |71.67 |1
Yorkshire North |98 |86 |87.76 |0
Yorkshire South |6 |5 |83.33 |0
Yorkshire West |14 |13 |92.86 |0
Number of suspect BSE animals slaughtered
April 1991
County |Total |Number + |Percentage +|Number
|slaughtered |VE confirmed|VE confirmed|pending
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon |46 |36 |80.00 |1
Bedfordshire |8 |7 |87.50 |0
Berkshire |7 |6 |85.71 |0
Buckinghamshire |21 |19 |90.48 |0
Cambridgeshire |3 |1 |33.33 |0
Cheshire |85 |70 |83.33 |1
Clwyd |35 |25 |78.13 |3
Cornwall |174 |144 |82.76 |0
Cumbria |50 |44 |88.00 |0
Derbyshire |40 |36 |90.00 |0
Devon |239 |208 |87.03 |0
Dorset |185 |159 |86.41 |1
Durham |9 |7 |77.78 |0
Dyfed |118 |101 |85.59 |0
Essex |18 |14 |82.35 |1
Mid Glamorgan |6 |5 |83.33 |0
West Glamorgan |2 |1 |50.00 |0
South Glamorgan |9 |9 |100.00 |0
Gloucestershire |65 |48 |75.00 |1
Gwent |13 |11 |84.62 |0
Gwynedd |8 |8 |100.00 |0
Hampshire |105 |86 |81.90 |0
Hereford and Worcester |33 |26 |81.25 |1
Hertfordshire |8 |7 |87.50 |0
Humberside |9 |8 |88.89 |0
Isle of Wight |18 |15 |83.33 |0
Kent |34 |31 |91.18 |0
Lancashire |56 |43 |76.79 |0
Leicestershire |52 |48 |92.31 |0
Lincolnshire |19 |17 |89.47 |0
London |3 |3 |100.00 |0
Manchester |7 |3 |42.86 |0
Norfolk |60 |52 |86.67 |0
Northamptonshire |29 |27 |93.10 |0
Northumberland |7 |3 |42.86 |0
Nottinghamshire |6 |6 |100.00 |0
Oxfordshire |29 |24 |85.71 |1
Powys |22 |16 |72.73 |0
Shropshire |40 |36 |90.00 |0
Somerset |229 |178 |80.18 |7
Staffordshire |38 |32 |86.49 |1
Suffolk |20 |17 |85.00 |0
Surrey |16 |15 |93.75 |0
East Sussex |30 |25 |83.33 |0
West Sussex |52 |39 |75.00 |0
Warwickshire |24 |20 |83.33 |0
Wiltshire |142 |102 |73.38 |3
North Yorkshire |77 |62 |80.52 |0
South Yorkshire |5 |5 |100.00 |0
West Yorkshire |10 |9 |90.00 |0
Cleveland |5 |5 |100.00 |0
West Midlands |1 |1 |100.00 |0
Number of suspect BSE animals slaughtered
May 1991
County |Total |Number + |Percentage +|Number
|slaughtered |VE confirmed|VE confirmed|pending
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon |54 |37 |72.55 |3
Bedfordshire |4 |4 |100.00 |0
Berkshire |13 |10 |83.33 |1
Buckinghamshire |15 |13 |92.86 |1
Cambridgeshire |11 |8 |72.73 |0
Cheshire |70 |59 |84.29 |0
Cleveland |3 |3 |100.00 |0
Clwyd |19 |14 |82.35 |2
Cornwall |147 |115 |78.23 |0
Cumbria |54 |51 |94.44 |0
Derbyshire |37 |32 |86.49 |0
Devon |180 |149 |83.71 |2
Dorset |141 |117 |84.78 |3
Durham |5 |4 |80.00 |0
Dyfed |93 |75 |80.65 |0
Essex |9 |7 |77.78 |0
South Glamorgan |4 |4 |100.00 |0
West Glamorgan |2 |1 |50.00 |0
Gloucestershire |46 |37 |80.43 |0
Gwent |11 |9 |81.82 |0
Gwynedd |3 |1 |33.33 |0
Hampshire |57 |48 |84.21 |0
Hereford and Worcester |28 |22 |78.57 |0
Hertfordshire |7 |7 |100.00 |0
Humberside |8 |4 |57.14 |1
Isle of Wight |10 |7 |70.00 |0
Kent |37 |35 |97.22 |1
Lancashire |46 |35 |77.78 |1
Leicestershire |41 |41 |100.00 |0
Lincolnshire |10 |9 |90.00 |0
Manchester |3 |2 |66.67 |0
Norfolk |35 |34 |97.14 |0
Northamptonshire |20 |18 |90.00 |0
Northumberland |13 |12 |92.31 |0
Nottinghamshire |8 |8 |100.00 |0
Oxon |35 |29 |82.86 |0
Powys |29 |21 |72.41 |0
Salop |32 |28 |87.50 |0
Somerset |208 |155 |78.28 |10
Staffordshire |32 |30 |93.75 |0
Suffolk |22 |17 |85.00 |2
Surrey |13 |12 |92.31 |0
Sussex, East |28 |23 |82.14 |0
Sussex, West |30 |23 |79.31 |1
Warwickshire |17 |14 |82.35 |0
Wiltshire |117 |90 |77.59 |1
Yorkshire, North |68 |52 |80.00 |3
Yorkshire, South |5 |5 |100.00 |0
Yorkshire, West |9 |8 |88.89 |0
Number of suspect BSE animals slaughtered
June 1991
County |Total |Number + |Percentage +|Number
|slaughtered |VE confirmed|VE confirmed|pending
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon |44 |24 |68.57 |9
Bedfordshire |8 |7 |87.50 |0
Berkshire |8 |8 |100.00 |0
Buckinghamshire |14 |13 |92.86 |0
Cambridgeshire |5 |4 |80.00 |0
Cheshire |72 |62 |86.11 |0
Cleveland |2 |1 |50.00 |0
Clwyd |37 |25 |86.21 |8
Cornwall |161 |129 |80.63 |1
Cumbria |33 |29 |87.88 |0
Derbyshire |24 |22 |91.67 |0
Devon |172 |156 |90.70 |0
Dorset |125 |108 |88.52 |3
Durham |4 |4 |100.00 |0
Dyfed |95 |82 |86.32 |0
Essex |10 |7 |87.50 |2
South Glamorgan |7 |6 |85.71 |0
West Glamorgan |3 |1 |33.33 |0
Mid Glamorgan |4 |3 |75.00 |0
Gloucestershire |32 |28 |90.32 |1
Gwent |13 |11 |84.62 |0
Gwynedd |4 |3 |75.00 |0
Hampshire |38 |33 |86.84 |0
Hereford and Worcester |28 |23 |82.14 |0
Hertfordshire |6 |6 |100.00 |0
Humberside |10 |7 |87.50 |2
Isle of Wight |10 |6 |60.00 |0
Kent |16 |16 |100.00 |0
Lancashire |39 |33 |84.62 |0
Leicestershire |39 |35 |94.59 |2
Lincolnshire |11 |10 |100.00 |1
Manchester |1 |0 |0.00 |0
Norfolk |26 |24 |92.31 |0
Northamptonshire |15 |10 |66.67 |0
Northumberland |9 |6 |66.67 |0
Nottinghamshire |4 |4 |100.00 |0
Oxfordshire |32 |28 |87.50 |0
Powys |16 |12 |75.00 |0
Shropshire |49 |35 |71.43 |0
Somerset |188 |133 |76.00 |13
Staffordshire |41 |33 |80.49 |0
Suffolk |16 |14 |87.50 |0
Surrey |10 |8 |88.89 |1
Sussex East |20 |19 |95.00 |0
Sussex West |38 |34 |89.47 |0
Warwickshire |17 |16 |94.12 |0
Wiltshire |110 |88 |80.73 |1
Yorkshire North |50 |41 |85.42 |2
Yorkshire South |3 |3 |100.00 |0
Yorkshire West |5 |5 |100.00 |0
London |1 |1 |100.00 |0
Merseyside |2 |2 |100.00 |0
Column 187
Number of suspect BSE animals slaughtered
July 1991
County |Total |Number + |Percentage +|Number
|slaughtered |VE confirmed|VE confirmed|pending
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avon |42 |29 |78.38 |5
Bedfordshire |3 |3 |100.00 |0
Berkshire |9 |7 |87.50 |1
Buckinghamshire |26 |24 |96.00 |1
Cambridgeshire |5 |5 |100.00 |0
Cheshire |84 |71 |93.42 |8
Cleveland |2 |2 |100.00 |0
Clwyd |43 |28 |93.33 |13
Cornwall |158 |133 |84.71 |1
Cumbria |70 |62 |88.57 |0
Derbyshire |29 |27 |93.10 |0
Devon |187 |171 |91.44 |0
Dorset |126 |115 |91.27 |0
Durham |3 |3 |100.00 |0
Dyfed |106 |92 |86.79 |0
Essex |11 |9 |100.00 |2
South Glamorgan |4 |4 |100.00 |0
Gloucestershire |43 |36 |85.71 |1
Gwent |16 |15 |93.75 |0
Gwynedd |8 |6 |75.00 |0
Hampshire |46 |42 |95.45 |2
Hereford and Worcester |33 |31 |93.94 |0
Hertfordshire |3 |2 |66.67 |0
Humberside |12 |12 |100.00 |0
Isle of Wight |22 |8 |42.11 |3
Kent |34 |30 |90.91 |1
Lancashire |59 |48 |81.36 |0
Leicestershire |48 |47 |97.92 |0
Lincolnshire |22 |20 |90.91 |0
Manchester |1 |0 |0.00 |0
Norfolk |58 |49 |92.45 |5
Northamptonshire |22 |18 |85.71 |1
Northumberland |7 |3 |50.00 |1
Nottinghamshire |11 |11 |100.00 |0
Oxfordshire |28 |23 |92.00 |3
Powys |18 |1 |61.11 |0
Shropshire |43 |37 |86.05 |0
Somerset |215 |155 |78.68 |18
Staffordshire |45 |42 |93.33 |0
Suffolk |14 |13 |92.86 |0
Surrey |9 |9 |100.00 |0
Sussex East |28 |24 |85.71 |0
Sussex West |40 |33 |82.50 |0
Warwickshire |18 |17 |100.00 |1
Wiltshire |85 |71 |84.52 |1
Yorkshire North |77 |51 |70.83 |5
Yorkshire South |8 |7 |87.50 |0
Yorkshire West |17 |16 |94.12 |0
London |1 |1 |100.00 |0
Merseyside |2 |1 |100.00 |1
Bovine Tuberculosis
Mr. Marlow : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the number of occurences of bovine tuberculosis and the numbers of cattle affected and destroyed for each of the last 24 quarters ; and if he will make a statement on the evidence linking badgers to such outbreaks.
Mr. Maclean : The information requested is given in the following table. None of the cattle destroyed was showing
Column 188
clinical signs of tuberculosis. Every confirmed outbreak is investigated and all other sources of infection are eliminated before the possibility of cross-infection from badgers is assessed. This is based upon badger activity on the breakdown farm together with historical information on badger-related infection in the parish. In the majority of cases where a badger origin has been suspected, infection has been confirmed in badgers killed during MAFF control operations.Column 189
------------------------------------------------
1985
Q1 |341 |34 |33 |268 |138
Q2 |16 |203 |74
Q3 |16 |142 |23
Q4 |8 |87 |16
1986
Q1 |306 |24 |36 |150 |40
Q2 |23 |172 |58
Q3 |9 |109 |17
Q4 |9 |186 |16
1987
Q1 |324 |24 |77 |163 |92
Q2 |16 |123 |73
Q3 |11 |243 |79
Q4 |11 |94 |53
1988
Q1 |363 |38 |65 |180 |78
Q2 |20 |183 |45
Q3 |29 |155 |44
Q4 |13 |159 |81
1989
Q1 |95 |37 |71 |183 |102
Q2 |142 |37 |347 |162
Q3 |109 |25 |189 |43
Q4 |106 |24 |182 |48
1990
Q1 |103 |23 |81 |229 |97
Q2 |149 |49 |341 |142
Q3 |105 |31 |239 |83
Q4 |112 |37 |239 |75
1991
Q1 |147 |39 |28 |343 |146
|---- |---- |---- |---- |----
Total |2,402|605 |391 |4,809|1,825
Sea Fish Industry Authority
Mr. Franks : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make an announcement about the review of the Sea Fish Industry Authority carried out by Fisheries Departments.
Mr. Curry : Officials from Fisheries Departments were asked to carry out a fundamental review of the Sea Fish Industry Authority's future role, and the levy and basis of industry funding on the fisheries industry which would be necessary to support these activities. Their report is being made public and copies placed in the Libraries of the House. Certain other recommendations to the chairman on organisation and staffing will remain confidential. The report recommends that the SFIA should continue to carry out the majority of its functions but should cease its generic advertising campaign, allowing the levy rate to be reduced to the level which applied before the most recent increase. The report also makes a number of other recommendations about the application of the levy, the constitution of the SFIA board and improvements to efficiency.
Fisheries Ministers have considered the report carefully and accept the broad thrust of its conclusions. We consider that the SFIA, since its creation in 1981, has contributed
Column 190
substantially to the development of the sea fisheries industry. We endorse the review's finding that the research and development and training role of the authority is, in general, strongly supported by the industry. We feel that it should continue to work broadly along existing lines. We agree that various functional and organisational changes should be made to make the SFIA more efficient and cost effective.We endorse the reviewers' conclusion that the SFIA should terminate its generic advertising campaign, but should continue its more specific marketing and promotional programme. We also agree with the view from the industry that a reduction in the levy would be desirable, as it would help to lighten the industry's financial burden. The saving from ending generic advertising would be £1.3 million out of a current budget of £8.3 million and would enable the levy to be reduced to £7 per tonne. We propose asking the SFIA to take the necessary steps.
We also agree with the recommendations that the levy should not be extended to salmon, trout, canned or bottled fish or applied on an ad valorem basis.
Fisheries Ministers wish all sectors of the industry to be satisfied that their views on the SFIA's plans and budget have been properly considered and that they have
Column 191
adequate representation on the SFIA board. However, we feel that these issues can be taken into account without the need to amend primary legislation if the SFIA and the industry work together to follow up the report's recommendations for greater industry participation in SFIA advisory committees and in drawing up nominations for the SFIA board. We propose to ask the SFIA to consider adjustments to its organisational structure in the light of these and of the various other recommendations for improving efficiency.Officials are today writing to organisations with an interest in the SFIA giving them a further opportunity to comment on the action now proposed before final decisions are taken. I have also met the chairman of the authority. To end the period of uncertainty about SFIA's future, our intention is to make a final announcement before the end of this year.
Japanese Cattle
Sir Thomas Arnold : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what arrangements exist between the United Kingdom and Japan covering the imports of Japanese cattle ;
(2) whether he will permit the import of Kobe cattle from Japan.
Mr. Maclean : Japan is not on the list of third countries from which member states of the European Community are permitted to import bovine animals and no arrangements exist for the importation of Japanese cattle, including Kobe cattle, into the United Kingdom.
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