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Agri-environment Schemes (Birds)
Mr. Morley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans he has to initiate and fund a whole-farm project for arable farmers under the
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countryside stewardship scheme for the benefit of skylarks; [27158]
- (2) what further plans he has to introduce measures for arable extensification as required under the EU agri-environment regulation EEC 2078/92. [27161]
Mr. Boswell: EC agri-environment regulation 2078/92 requires member states to introduce a number of different categories of schemes, including one
"to change to more extensive forms of crop, including forage, production, or to maintain extensive production methods introduced in the past, or to convert arable land into extensive grassland".
We have recently reviewed our agri-environment schemes and, in particular, the future of countryside stewardship following extensive and detailed public consultations. We relaunched the countryside stewardship scheme this month and our objectives and decisions on priorities for the scheme have been widely welcomed. We have no plans at present to alter our priorities for stewardship or to introduce any new agri-environment schemes.
Mr. Morley:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans he has to stem the decline of birds of the open field; [27159]
Mr. Boswell:
Following a suggestion made at the national agri-environment forum on 25 March, I agreed that officials should set up a working group to look at ways of enhancing the conservation value of cropped arable land, focusing particularly on promoting environmental benefits in the centre of fields for birds and other wildlife. This group will include representatives of key farming and conservation organisations and I expect it to commence work in the near future.
In addition, the Ministry sponsored the recent farmland bird management guidelines prepared by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, which I sent to all farmers in England with more than 100 hectares of arable land. These set out a number of practical ways in which farmers can encourage birds on their farms.
Mr. Hendry:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the State Veterinary Service's surveillance of the handling of specified bovine offals in January, February and March 1996; and if he will make a statement. [27884]
Mr. Douglas Hogg:
The controls on specified bovine offals--SBO--now termed specified bovine material--SBM--are central to the protection of public health from any risk from BSE. They require the removal of all those
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tissues known potentially to harbour BSE infectivity from all cattle at slaughter. Compliance with these controls is of paramount importance, as I have made clear on a number of occasions in the House and directly to slaughterhouse operators.
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(2) what plans he has to replace the environmental benefits of set-aside by a new arable extensification scheme in the event that the percentage of land currently in set-aside is reduced. [27160]
| January 1996 | February 1996 | March 1996 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of visits | Number of unsatisfactory visits | Percentage unsatisfactory | Number of visits | Number of unsatisfactory visits | Percentage unsatisfactory | Number of visits | Number of unsatisfactory visits | Percentage unsatisfactory | |
| Slaughterhouses | 321 | 16 | 5.0 | 274 | 17 | 6.2 | 264 | 10 | 3.8 |
| Hunt kennels and knackeries | 242 | 15 | 6.2 | 187 | 7 | 3.7 | 219 | 14 | 6.4 |
| Rendering plants(16) | 6 | 1 | 16.7 | 6 | 1 | 16.7 | 5 | 1 | 16.7 |
| Incinerators(16) | 28 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 13.3 | 25 | 1 | 4.0 |
(16) Rendering plants and incinerators have to be specifically approved to handle SBOs; only a small number of such plants are so approved.
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These results show that there has been a significant and sustained improvement in the handling of SBM since the most recent intensive surveillance programme began in September 1995. It is disappointing, however, that deficiencies are still being found in a small number of slaughterhouses and hunt kennels and knackeries. I expect all plants to continue to work hard to ensure they fully comply with the controls.
It is important to note that many of the failings in SBM handling found were comparatively mild--for example, problems with staining SBM or with record keeping, which would not present a direct risk to public or animal health. There were, however, four further instances of the most serious failing, three in which small pieces of spinal cord were left attached to carcases after dressing and one in which the entire spinal cord was left attached, from mid-January to mid-March. There have been no such instances since the middle of March. A total of 25 instances in which spinal cord was left attached to carcases have now been detected since the summer of 1995. In this same period, over 2 million cattle were slaughtered.
The Meat Hygiene Service has the responsibility of enforcing the SBM controls in slaughterhouses. It does this most rigorously and we have made available extra resources to ensure that the agency can discharge its responsibilities effectively. The agency's staff are fully aware that they may face disciplinary action as a result of their failure fully to enforce the controls. Since the summer, 22 MHS officials have been subject to full disciplinary investigation as a result of their failure to ensure full compliance with the SBM controls. One officer has been dismissed, 12 have received formal disciplinary warnings, and no formal action has been taken against the other nine, although they have been issued with a written caution. In addition, two inspectors are currently under investigation. Before any of these staff have been allowed to begin their work again they have undergone retraining. In one of these cases, the MHS has referred the plant to MAFF's legal services for investigation.
Slaughterhouses face prosecution for significant breaches of the SBM controls, when sufficient evidence is available. At present, one such case is before the courts and several more are under investigation with a view to prosecution.
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The SVS will continue its regular unannounced visits to all plants handling SBM. The MHS will continue to enforce rules most vigorously, and press for prosecutions where there is sufficient evidence to support a case.
Mr. Foulkes:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what assessment he has made of the effect on the food chain of contamination from the nuclear reactors and weapons on board the Soviet November class submarine which sank in the western approaches to the United Kingdom on 12 April 1970; and if he will make a statement; [26707]
Mr. Baldry
[holding answer 25 April 1996]: Publication of this report is a matter for the IAEA. A draft of the report was circulated to contracting parties to the convention on the prevention of marine pollution by dumping of wastes and other matter--the "London convention, 1972"--including the United Kingdom, in November 1991. Copies of this version have been placed in the Library.
The reported submarine incident on 12 April 1970 is noted in the draft report. The draft does not identify a specific location but it is given elsewhere as approximately 1,000 km south-west of Land's End, in 4,500 m of water. There is no suggestion the incident took place in the western approaches. Contemporary and subsequent results from MAFF's extensive programme of monitoring for radioactivity in fish, shellfish, sea water and sediments around the British Isles have shown no indication of contamination from this or any other confirmed or reported accidental loss. Reports of the MAFF monitoring programme are also available in the Library.
Mr. Welsh:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research his Department has
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undertaken to assess the susceptibility of different cattle breeds to BSE (a) by epidemiology and (b) by experiment. [23368]
Mrs. Browning
[holding answer 28 March 1996]: Epidemiological studies of the epidemic suggest that all breeds of cattle are susceptible to BSE, and that the numbers of cases confirmed by breed reflect the population of that breed in the country, and the extent to which compound feed containing meat and bone meal has been consumed. Experimental exposures of cattle to BSE have not been intended to determine breed susceptibility, but have used calves of several breeds, including cross-bred animals. Breeds involved include Friesian/Holstein and crosses, Jersey and Jersey cross, Limousin and Limousin cross, Simmental cross, Belgian blue and cross, Charolais, Hereford cross. All appear equally susceptible.
Mr. Welsh:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the prion-related protein genes in different cattle have been sequenced in the research into BSE evaluated by his Department. [23357]
Mrs. Browning
[holding answer 28 March 1996]: Extensive PrP gene sequencing of cattle of several breeds in Britain has revealed no polymorphisms that are associated with susceptibility to BSE. Recognised polymorphisms are five or six copies of an octapeptide repeat sequence, with PrP alleles encoding proteins of 256 and 264 amino acids respectively; a cytosine/thymine switch at base 576 which does not change the amino acid encoded; an adenine/guanine switch at base 234, also without an amino acid change.
Dr. Strang:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has assessed in respect of (a) maternal and (b) lateral transmission of BSE. [23200]
Mr. Hinchliffe:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the most recent scientific advice evaluated by his Department concerning the likelihood of vertical transmission in cattle of the agent causing bovine spongiform encephalopathy; and if he will make a statement. [24118]
Mrs. Browning
[holding answers 28 March and 2 April 1996]: I refer the hon. Members to the answer that I gave on 25 April 1996, Official Report, column 274.
Mr. Welsh:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many transgressions of BSE regulations there have been (a) in Scotland, (b) in the rest of the United Kingdom and (c) in each of the regions of (a) and (b). [23365]
Mrs. Browning
[holding answer 28 March 1996]: Enforcement of the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Order 1991, as amended, is the responsibility of local authorities. Until 1 April 1995, local authorities were also responsible for enforcement of the controls on specified bovine offals in slaughterhouses and head-boning plants. Information on enforcement before that date is not therefore held centrally. It is not possible, without
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disproportionate costs, to collect and collate this information from local authorities.
Since 1 April 1995 the Meat Hygiene Service has been responsible for enforcement of the controls on specified bovine materials. To date, there is one case before the court. A number of other cases are under investigation.
The State Veterinary Service regularly monitors the enforcement of the controls in slaughterhouses and elsewhere on specified bovine offals, which are required to be separated and disposed of by incineration or burial. The results of recent surveillance of slaughterhouses and head-boning plants were announced in the House on 19 July and updated on 22 November, 18 January and 30 April.
Mr. David Porter:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to provide for the dumping of BSE-infected carcases in the sea; what scientific studies he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the impact on the marine food chain; and if he will make a statement; [26855]
Mr. Baldry
[holding answer 29 April 1996]: In his statement of 16 April, Official Report, columns 513-29, my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food announced that the waste material, offals and carcase meat resulting from the over 30 months bovine cull scheme will be treated primarily by rendering with the resultant material to be disposed of by the best practicable environmental option. Dumping at sea of BSE-infected carcase or any other bovine material is not an option under consideration.
(2) what action he has taken on the report by the International Atomic Energy Authority of July 1991, "Inventory of Radioactive Material into the Marine Environment", with particular respect to the sinking of a Soviet November class nuclear submarine on 12 April 1970; for what reasons the report has not been published; and if he will make a statement. [26706]
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