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Correspondence

Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to reply to the letter to her predecessor from the right hon. Member for Berkwick-upon-Tweed dated 8 February about genetically indexed flocks, to which a holding reply was sent on 12 February. [1486]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 2 July 2001]: I replied to the letter from the right hon. Member for Berwick- upon-Tweed on 4 July 2001.

10 Jul 2001 : Column: 488W

Mr. Hogg: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to the letters regarding Mr. Stephen Dorey of Norton Disney of 25 May and 12 and 18 June. [1980]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 4 July 2001]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State replied to the letters from the right hon. and learned Member for Sleaford and North Hykeham (Mr. Hogg) on 2 July 2001.

Intervention Board

Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many administrative staff were employed by the Intervention Board in each of the last 10 years. [1716]

Mr. Morley: The information requested is set out in the table.

Administrative staff employed by the Intervention Board between March 1992 and March 2001

Permanent staffCasual staffTotal
March 1992972411,013
March 19931,037661,103
March 1994984631,047
March 19959331161,049
March 199690276978
March 19971,0141841,198
March 19981,1433021,445
March 19991,2412301,471
March 20001,2801221,402
March 2001(32)1,242(32)99(32)1,341

(32) March 2001 figures are not yet published

Note:

Figures are based on the staff in post as at 31 March and are published in the Agency's Annual Report and Accounts


Light Lambs

Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the need for (a) a light lamb disposal scheme and (b) a light lamb storage scheme. [1692]

Mr. Morley: We estimate that there will be approximately 1.5 million light lambs (live lambs up to around 30 kgs in weight) born this year which, because of the foot and mouth disease-related export ban, cannot be exported to their traditional market outlets in Southern Europe. We are currently examining all possible options for dealing with the problems expected to arise as a result of the closure of export markets.

Foot and Mouth

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations have been made by the farming community as to the use of foreign vets in efforts to eradicate the foot and mouth crisis. [2178]

Mr. Morley: No representations have been made by the farming community as to the use of foreign vets in efforts to eradicate the foot and mouth crisis.

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment the Government have made of the possibility of foot and mouth disease being spread as a result of burning as a disposal method. [2194]

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Mr. Morley: Veterinary advice is that once rigor mortis set in (approximately 24 hours after slaughter) the consequent fall in PH rapidly destroys foot and mouth virus present in muscle tissue. Carcases are soaked in approved disinfectant to destroy any virus on external surfaces and the conditions of cremation are such that any virus surviving in other internal organs (such as lymph nodes or bone marrow) is likely to be destroyed before it could be dispersed from the pyre. Any risk of spread of the virus from a pyre is therefore considered to be minimal.

A collaborative study was carried out with input from the Institute for Animal Health (World Reference Laboratory for foot and mouth disease), the Met Office and DEFRA. The report was published in The Veterinary Record, 12 May 2001, pages 585–86 and concluded that disease outbreaks due to virus dispersion from pyres is unlikely to occur in general and that the data analysed showed no evidence that infection due to this cause has occurred.

Contributors to the publication "Spread of foot-and- mouth disease from the burning of animal carcases on open pyres" were John Gloster, Helen Hewson, David Mackay, Tony Garland, Alex Donaldson, Ian Mason, Richard Brown.

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action will be taken against the officer in Monmouthshire who attempted to shoot sheep in a field at long range. [786]

Mr. Morley: The marksman concerned was contracted to Monmouthshire county council, who have sent a report to the National Assembly of Wales. The Assembly is considering whether further action may be required.

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment the Government have made of the need to protect hill flocks; and what plans there are to do so. [2558]

Mr. Morley: A number of measures have been taken to protect hill flocks while not jeopardising the primary objective of eradicating foot and mouth disease. Following consultation in April, the Government introduced a scheme on 3 May, providing for owners of rare breeds of sheep and goats and hefted sheep to apply for exemptions from the contiguous and 3 km culls. On 11 May exceptional arrangements were introduced for the movement of sheep, cattle and goats to common grazings in order to meet the problems affecting hill flocks. On 5 July special arrangements for sheep movement from common land to deal with shearing and other husbandry practices necessary for the welfare of sheep were also announced. We have also contributed to the establishment of the Heritage gene bank to ensure the retention of genes of sheep breeds indigenous to the UK.

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many strains of the foot and mouth virus exist; whether vaccines offer protection against each; and if she will make a statement. [1982]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 4 July 2001]: There are seven serotypes of foot and mouth disease, namely: types O, A, C, South Africa type 1, South Africa type 2,

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South Africa type 3, and type Asia 1. Vaccination against one of the seven serotypes protects against that serotype but not necessarily against the other six serotypes.

Within the seven serotypes there are strains, some of which are sufficiently different from each other to provide little or no cross-protection. New strains of virus can and do arise in the field.

Vaccines can be manufactured to contain several serotypes and strains of virus appropriate to a given epidemiological situation.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to remove all farms from D notice status within Gloucestershire. [1670]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 3 July 2001]: A substantial amount of surveillance work has already been done in Gloucestershire, but more remains to be carried out. We hope to be able to lift the remaining Protection Zones in Gloucestershire in the next two to three weeks, provided that there are no further outbreaks.

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many animals have been slaughtered as a result of foot and mouth disease. [2184]

Mr. Morley: As at 2 July, 3,458,000 animals had been compulsorily slaughtered as a result of foot and mouth disease in Great Britain.

This information can be found on the DEFRA foot and mouth disease website (www.defr.gov.uk/footandmouth/) and is updated daily.



David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many animals have been (a) slaughtered and (b) disposed of in each day during the foot and mouth crisis. [2189]

Mr. Morley: The table shows details of the number of animals compulsorily slaughtered and disposed of on each day of the foot and mouth crisis in Great Britain. As at 2 July the cumulative total number of animals slaughtered and disposed of were 3,458,000 and 3,441,000 respectively.

Thousand

DaySlaughteringsDisposals
23 February 200110
24 February 200100
25 February 200111
26 February 200101
27 February 200121
28 February 200150
1 March 200160
2 March 200172
3 March 200164
4 March 2001123
5 March 200143
6 March 2001178
7 March 2001128
8 March 2001417
9 March 2001149
10 March 2001149
11 March 20011311
12 March 200195
13 March 20011413
14 March 20012722
15 March 20011915
16 March 20012926
17 March 20011115
18 March 20014023
19 March 20012124
20 March 20012627
21 March 20013827
22 March 20015330
23 March 20014031
24 March 20015251
25 March 20014233
26 March 20014737
27 March 20014729
28 March 20015646
29 March 20015555
30 March 200110275
31 March 20018670
1 April 20017857
2 April 20017783
3 April 20019075
4 April 20018688
5 April 200184110
6 April 20019879
7 April 20019085
8 April 20017284
9 April 20018182
10 April 20018886
11 April 20018576
12 April 20017474
13 April 20018170
14 April 200110176
15 April 200178109
16 April 20016671
17 April 20015063
19 April 20017170
20 April 200160103
21 April 20017867
22 April 20014787
23 April 20014143
24 April 20014667
25 April 20012334
26 April 20013941
27 April 20013656
28 April 20012736
29 April 20011925
30 April 20011441
1 May 20011728
2 May 20011017
3 May 20012115
4 May 2001822
5 May 20012411
6 May 20011516
7 May 20011117
8 May 2001710
9 May 20011012
10 May 20011213
11 May 200176
12 May 2001108
13 May 200146
14 May 2001129
15 May 20011110
16 May 2001713
17 May 200162
18 May 200165
19 May 2001149
20 May 2001815
21 May 20011012
22 May 20011110
23 May 20011012
24 May 20012315
25 May 20011619
26 May 20011211
27 May 20011415
28 May 2001118
29 May 2001914
30 May 20011012
31 May 200156
1 June 20011211
2 June 200159
3 June 2001125
4 June 20011815
5 June 20011119
6 June 200157
7 June 200187
8 June 200164
9 June 200177
10 June 200156
11 June 2001167
12 June 2001615
13 June 20011313
14 June 200176
15 June 200141
16 June 20011811
17 June 2001911
18 June 2001712
19 June 200186
20 June 2001129
21 June 200147
22 June 200132
23 June 200167
24 June 200193
25 June 2001715
26 June 200122
27 June 200142
28 June 200122
29 June 200143
30 June 200143
1 July 200153
2 July 200112

Source:

DEFRA Disease Control System database—figures subject to revision as more data become available


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David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the duration of the current foot and mouth disease outbreak. [2181]

Mr. Morley: Because of its nature, the Chief Veterinary Officer has always said that the outbreak would have a long tail. Stock owners can assist by carrying out biosecurity measures as recommended.

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what arrangements are being made to compensate farmers whose livestock passed the 30-month deadline but could not be sent to abattoirs because of foot and mouth; and if she will make a statement. [2943]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 9 July 2001]: I appreciate that producers of clean cattle which cannot be marketed at under 30 months of age by virtue of foot and mouth disease movement restrictions will suffer a significant loss of return when such cattle are eventually sold into the over-30-month scheme (OTMS). We are alive to this problem and are considering what action might be appropriate in the context of further measures.

10 Jul 2001 : Column: 493W

Our first priority must, however, be to isolate and eradicate the disease, so that normal patterns of marketing can be restored. Once this has been done, we will be in a better position to determine the extent to which producers have been obliged to retain cattle which would have been sold at under 30 months of age but which had subsequently to go into the OTMS, and the extent of resultant losses.

Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will order a public inquiry into the current outbreaks of foot and mouth disease. [2094]

Mr. Morley: There will be an inquiry, when the disease is finally over. We have always said we are keen to learn the lessons from this outbreak. The precise nature and scope of the inquiry will as such be a matter for the Prime Minister.

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many sheep in upland areas her Department has tested for foot and mouth; how many and what percentage carried the foot and mouth antibody; and if she will make a statement; [1489]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 2 and 4 July 2001]: The Department does not categorise sheep flocks sampled for serological testing as "upland" or "lowland". There has, however, been specific testing of hefted sheep which are all found in upland areas. To date, 1,727 adult sheep in 29 hefted flocks have been sampled.

The distribution of these flocks by regional office is as follows:






10 Jul 2001 : Column: 494W

No animal was found to have antibodies.

Throughout England and Wales, 492,553 sheep and goats have been blood tested (as at 28 June). We have results from 471,746 animals (at 3 July) which indicate that 0.28 per cent. were antibody-positive.

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many documented cases have been brought to her attention involving the slaughter of animals, as part of the programme of control of foot and mouth, which were carried out in inappropriate ways. [1491]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 2 July 2001]: No such cases have been brought to my attention since my right hon. Friend became Secretary of State in this Department. However, since the start of the foot and mouth outbreak six cases have been brought to the attention of Ministers, where it was alleged that animals had not been dealt with humanely. These incidents have been investigated and appropriate action taken.


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