Legislators in the United Kingdom have proposed major changes in animal health, including a new governmental body. The bill was introduced by Environment Secretary Hilary Benn.

Other measures in the draft Animal Health Bill, which was drawn up following extensive public consultation, include:

• Making statutory the role of Chief Veterinary Officer (UK), based at the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA);

• A new Chief Veterinary Officer for England;

• Widening existing powers in England and Wales to collect and test veterinary samples and to vaccinate animals;

• Simplifying payments for slaughtered animals or property seized or destroyed for disease control purposes in England and Wales.

The proposed animal health organization would be led by an independent chair and board.

The Government has also consulted on proposals for the livestock sector to pay some of the costs of animal disease monitoring and prevention which are currently met by DEFRA. These cost sharing measures will be introduced under a future Finance Bill. Cost and responsibility sharing for the livestock industry was recommended by Sir Iain Anderson in his report on the 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak