Animal health and welfare policy is fully devolved to the Scottish Parliament. Scottish Ministers are responsible for determining the policy response to any animal disease emergency situation.
Given that disease knows no boundaries and that Great Britain is a single epidemiological unit, a co-ordinated disease control approach will be taken across Great Britain. The lead role in any disease outbreak in Scotland will be taken by the Scottish Government working in close partnership with stakeholders and operational partners.
The Scottish Government has reviewed its existing exotic disease contingency plans and consolidated them into a generic contingency framework plan with six specific exotic disease responses as annexes. These annexes contain information about the specific disease and what would happen in response to an outbreak. Disease Control concepts, actions and operational structures are also set out. The six annexes are African Swine Fever, Avian Influenza, Classical Swine Fever, Foot and Mouth Disease, Newcastle Disease and Swine vesicular Disease.
The Scottish Government's Exotic Animal Disease Communications Strategy, which is to be read in conjunction with the framework plan, has also been reviewed to reflect the updated framework plan and to build upon experience and lessons from recent outbreaks.
Scottish Government's Exotic Animal Disease Contingency Framework Plan
Annex 1: African Swine Fever
Annex 2: Avian Influenza
Annex 3: Classical Swine Fever
Annex 4: Foot and Mouth Disease
Annex 5: Newcastle Disease
Annex 6: Swine Vesicular Disease
Scottish Government's Exotic Animal Disease Communication Strategy