My right honourable friend the Secretary of State (Hilary Benn) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

Today, I am laying before Parliament a draft Animal Health Bill that sets out major changes that I am intending to implement on responsibility for, and management of, animal health in England.

The draft Bill would establish a new body in England, headed by an independent board and chair, with responsibility for animal health policy and its application, matters that currently rest with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The draft Bill draws on extensive consultation over a number of years on the policy of responsibility and cost sharing for animal health. It is based on a partnership working approach that will be increasingly central to the development of animal health policy and the means by which it is carried out on the ground. This will enable the experience and expertise of those making a living in the livestock and other animal-related sectors to contribute to the policies and decisions on animal health.

Central to long-term success in combating animal disease, reducing its incidence and cost and increasing the nation’s resilience to its impacts is bringing about behaviour change among those directly affected. The development of responsibility sharing in the provisions of the draft Bill will help to secure the needed changes in business practices and attitudes.

The other part of this new approach, as proposed by Iain Anderson in his report on the lessons to be learnt from foot and mouth in 2001, is a degree of sharing of the costs involved with those who both benefit directly from animal health measures and whose businesses bear the brunt of animal disease. Accordingly, the Government will bring forward in due course separate measures relating to cost sharing.

Copies of the draft Bill are available in the Vote Office.