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Government must act to counter bird flu spread

3.38.38pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 13th Oct 2005

In response to a question from Liberal Democrat DEFRA spokesperson Baroness Miller, the Government today admitted that there is currently no requirement for wild birds imported to the UK as pets to be quarantined or tested for avian flu.

DEFRA Minister Lord Bach's admission comes on the day that the European Commission decided to ban all bird and poultry imports from Turkey and Romania amid fears that the potentially fatal avian flu may spread.

Commenting, Baroness Miller said:

"We do not want to scaremonger or raise fears but I am determined to ensure bio-security measures are properly in place.

"The UK Presidency of the EU means that this country should be at the forefront of implementing a complete ban on wild bird imports."

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Previous news story: Labour's prison policy in tatters (Thu 13th Oct 2005).
Next news story: John Hemming MP has written to Gordon Brown MP (the Chancellor of the Excheque) to call for a review of the way in which means testing hits school crossing wardens. (Thu 13th Oct 2005).

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