EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Specified Diseases (Notification) Order 1996 (S.I. 1996/2628) in England by adding porcine epidemic diarrhoea to the list of animal diseases in Part 1 of Schedule 1 so that suspicion of the infection of porcine epidemic diarrhoea in pigs must be notified to the Secretary of State by the keeper of the pigs.

The Order inserts a requirement for the Secretary of State to share information regarding suspicion of porcine epidemic diarrhoea with the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, which in relation to the pig industry in England has statutory responsibilities and carries out functions using its pig levy.

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board may advise the affected keeper and other pig keepers regarding appropriate precautions to take to protect their pigs from porcine epidemic diarrhoea. It may also raise awareness of porcine epidemic diarrhoea by disseminating information about the disease more widely to the pig industry.

A full impact assessment of the effect that this instrument will have on the costs of business and the voluntary sector is available from the Animal Health Policy and Implementation team at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR, and is published alongside the Explanatory Memorandum on www.legislation.gov.uk.