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Sheep (Collection Centres)
Mr. Morley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if each holding, as defined within the category of collection centres, as laid down in part 1 of the Animals and Animal Products Import and Export Regulations 1995, from which sheep have been acquired for export since 9 October 1995, has been approved for intra-Community trade as required by article 5(b) of the regulations. [30716]
Mrs. Browning [holding answer 4 June 1996]: Some, but not all, holdings from which sheep have been certified since 9 October 1995 are also approved collection centres, as defined in Council directive 64/432/EEC. However, the Community legislation concerning the animal health conditions for intra-Community trade in sheep and goats does not require the places at which sheep are acquired to be approved collection centres. Sheep can be exported directly from a holding or via an approved market or assembly centre.
The purpose of the Animals and Animal Products (Import and Export) Regulations 1995 is to implement certain pieces of Community animal health legislation, including Council directive 91/68/EEC. The regulations are made under the powers conferred on Ministers by section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972. It has been drawn to our attention that, in respect of sheep, the regulations do not accurately reflect the provisions in the Community legislation. We intend to take steps to eliminate the anomalies.
Mr. Morley:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he proposes to issue export health certificates in respect of sheep which are acquired through a collection centre which is approved by his Department for the purposes of intra-Community trade; [32099]
Mrs. Browning
[holding answer 10 June 1996]: It is not a requirement for sheep exported to another EC member state from a holding to be purchased at an approved collection centre. Provided that they meet all other animal health requirements, sheep which are acquired through an approved collection centre can be issued with export health certificates.
Mr. Morley:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what types of establishments and premises within the United Kingdom qualify as holding centers for the purposes of article 2 of Council directive 90/425/EEC. [32101]
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Mrs. Browning
[holding answer 10 June 1996]: For the purposes of Council directive 90/425/EEC, all the places at which the animals referred to in annexes A and B of the directive are held or kept are considered to be holdings. Annexes A and B cover all live animals, including aquaculture animals.
Mr. Dover:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research projects have been (a) requested and (b) commissioned by his Department in the areas of BSE and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the last two months. [31038]
Mrs. Browning
[holding answer 4 June 1996]: Details of the research projects requested and commissioned in the last two months are as follows:
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(2) if he proposes to issue export health certificates in respect of sheep which are acquired through a collection centre which is approved by him for the purposes of intra-Community trade but which at the time the sheep were acquired did not comply with the provisions relating to collection centres in Council directives 91/68/EEC. [32100]
(A) Research proposals in the areas of BSE requested by MAFF in the last two months
Audit of Bovine and Ovine Slaughter and By-products Sector.
Strain-typing of scrapie agent in meat and bone meal.
Transmission of studies for the detection of BSE in sheep.
The study of BSE in sheep and the possibility of its vertical
transmission.
Applied brain metabolism and nutrition studies in cattle to aid in
the control of neurological disorders.
Bioassay of BSE infectivity in non-neural tissues by
intra-cerebral inoculation of cattle.
Immunohistochemical detection of cellular perturbations in
formalin-fixed brain from cattle.
Pathogenesis studies of experimental BSE in sheep.
Abnormal protein distribution in the central nervous system,
non-neural tissues and body fluid of cattle affected by BSE.
Hot boning of beef to avoid carcase splitting--a case for a
development project.
Pathogenesis studies of experimental BSE in sheep.
Abnormal protein distribution in the CNS, non-neural tissues and
body fluids of cattle affected by BSE.
A combinatorial molecular approach for the identification of
early markers for BSE in cattle.
The role of glycation in the generation of scrapie amyloid fibrils.
Identification of peptides that are recognised by sera from
animals infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy
(BSE) using a random peptide phage display library.
Immune complexes and related markers in BSE.
A potential analysis for the presence of neural-tissue in beef and
beef containing products.
Proposals on the role of free living mites in the epidemiology
of TSEs.
Proposals for developing a mouse transgenic for the bovine PrP
gene.
(B) MAFF-funded BSE research--approved April-May 1996
The neuropathological monitoring of suspect BSE cases born
in 1992.
Development of mouse models for the study of bovine
transmissible spongiform encephalopathy.
Electrophoretic analysis of body fluids to identify
disease-specific proteins in ruminant spongiform
encephalopathy.
Production of polyclonal antisera to highly purified bovine PrP
scrapie.
Responsibility for CJD research lies with the Department of
Health.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions in each year since 1989 abattoirs were found to be in default of BSE-related regulations governing the treatment of carcases. [31246]
Mrs. Browning [holding answer 4 June 1996]: Prior to 1 April 1995, responsibility for meat inspection was the responsibility of local authorities. Details of contraventions of BSE-related regulations in abattoirs prior to this date are not held centrally.
Since 1 April 1995, responsibility for meat inspection in slaughterhouses was transferred to the Meat Hygiene Service. Results of the state veterinary surveillance programme on the handling of specified bovine material in abattoirs since September 1995 were given in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Dorset, West (Sir J. Spicer) on 18 January 1996, Official Report, column 682, and my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Grantham (Mr. Hogg) on 22 November 1995, Official Report, columns 192-93, and 30 April 1996, Official Report, columns 483-84.
Mr. Campbell-Savours:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions in each year since 1989 abattoirs were prosecuted for failure to comply with BSE-related regulations governing the treatment of carcases. [31247]
Mrs. Browning
[holding answer 4 June 1996]: Prior to 1 April 1995, meat inspection was the responsibility of local authorities. Details of prosecutions made by local authorities of contraventions in slaughterhouses are not held centrally.
On 1 April 1995 responsibility for meat inspection in slaughterhouses was transferred to the Meat Hygiene Service. So far, there has been one successful prosecution and a number of other cases are under investigation.
Sea Training
Mr. Ian Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the costs of supporting flag officer sea training at Plymouth rather than at Portland; if he will estimate (a) the training days to be provided this year compared to the last full year at Portland and (b) the number of Sootax helicopter flights in support of flag officer sea training at Portland; what was the original estimate for helicopter flights from Plymouth airport and what number are actually being made from Plymouth airport; how many staff were originally estimated to be needed at Plymouth and how many are now assessed as being needed; and what is the latest estimate of the cost of closure of Portland naval base, transfer of flag officer sea training and of setting up flag officer sea training in Plymouth. [31767]
Mr. Soames: The Royal Navy's operational sea training organisation enjoys a worldwide reputation for its excellent and cost-effective training.
During the period July 1994 to July 1995--the last full year at Portland--225 training days were achieved by flag officer sea training; the estimate for the 12-month period to July 1996--the first year at Plymouth--is 235 training
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days. In the final year at Portland there were 547 planned Sootax helicopter sorties of which 483 were achieved; for the period July 1995 to April 1996 839 sorties were planned and 816 achieved at Plymouth. Activity levels at Plymouth have been higher than originally estimated, because of increased demand for sea training and other operational reasons.
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