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5. Remit of consultation and questions
5.1 General
5.1.1 It is not within the remit of this consultation to seek comments on the EU legislation we are implementing, although we appreciate that you may have views you wish to make known. However, we are seeking any views or comments you may have on the way we are proposing to implement the EU measures.
5.1.2 In particular:
- Have any practical implementation options been left out?
- Do you have any comment on the analysis and the costs as set out in the Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment?
- Do you have comments on the way we have implemented any parts of the EU provisions?
5.2 Specific Measures
5.2.1 Temporary Control Zone
5.2.1.1 In addition, there is a control measure not provided for in the EU legislation and that we could add to our Order. This is a Temporary Control Zone.
5.2.1.2 Clinically, SVD cannot be distinguished from foot-and-mouth disease ( FMD). In the event of a suspect vesicular disease in pigs, control measues for FMD would take precedence as FMD spreads more rapidly (a Temporary Control Zone under foot-and-mouth legislation would be put in place). Animal movements on and off premises is halted in the Temporary Control Zone around a suspect premises (typically 10km radius) to help reduce the possible spread of disease. If SVD were subsequently confirmed, the controls would switch to the SVD Order.
5.2.1.3 However, we may, for example, have a suspect vesicular case in an area free of disease but with the premises having a strong link to an SVD infected premises in another part of the country. In this case, our suspicion would immediately be of SVD rather than FMD.
- Do you think Scottish Ministers should have powers to impose a Temporary Control Zone in cases where SVD is suspected on a premises, containing measures to help prevent the possible spread of disease?
5.2.2 Rare breeds
5.2.2.1 The Directive requires the slaughter of all pigs on infected premises. More recent Community disease control directives recognise that certain categories of susceptible animals such as rare breeds should be spared, if that is possible without jeopardising the control of the disease (eg classical swine fever, African swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease, avian influenza). Essentially, there would have to be facilities on the premises that could be used as an isolation unit, with strict biosecurity protocols associated with it. The SVD Directive was adopted at a time when exemptions from slaughter for exceptional categories were not provided for.
- Do you agree that we should include a provision for Scottish Ministers to exempt exceptional categories of pigs if it can be done without jeopardising the control of the disease (Part 1, Article 9)?
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