Animal disease outbreaks: MPs to examine preparedness, response, and impact on farming sectors
The EFRA Committee holds the second session of its ‘animal and plant health’ inquiry at 10am on Tuesday 4 March.
The session will see the Committee investigate preparedness and response measures to animal diseases, their financial consequences and their impact on mental health in farming communities.
Meeting details
In the first panel, MPs will hear from farming industry representatives and will enquire about the preparatory measures farming sectors undertake to prepare for potential and ongoing animal disease outbreaks as well how disease outbreaks affect farmers.
Members will ask for the panel’s views on the adequacy of the Government’s preventative measures against animal diseases and the effectiveness of Government support in events of diseases outbreaks.
In the second panel, at 11am, the Committee will question Defra’s Chief Veterinary Officer and the interim Chief Executive of the Animal Plant Health Agency (APHA), on prevention of African swine fever and foot and mouth disease.
MPs will also examine resourcing, including the condition of national biosecurity infrastructure and the recruitment and retention of vets, on the UK’s ability to respond to animal diseases.