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28 Apr 2003 : Column 32W—continued
Fallen Stock
Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on progress being made on the implementation of a national fallen stock collection and disposal scheme; what additional monies have been made available for such a scheme; and what guidance on the scheme has been issued to farmers. [107206]
Mr. Morley: We will shortly be writing to all livestock farmers to invite them to join a voluntary subscription scheme to help finance a national fallen stock collection system. If there is sufficient interest we will take this forward in partnership with the collection and disposal
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industries. Government will contribute to the funding, but the amount cannot yet be determined as it will be linked to membership.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate her Department has made of the number of fallen stock in the last year which have been (a) removed by a hunt kennel, (b) buried on farm, (c) removed by the farmer to a rendering plant, (d) removed by contractor to a rendering plant, (e) subject to another form of off-farm disposal and (f) subject to other forms of on-farm disposal. [108760]
Mr. Morley: We do not have figures for the amount of fallen stock that were disposed of last year. To obtain this information would involve the Department in disproportionate costs.
Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the acceptability of on-farm (a) bio-digestors and (b) incinerators to deal with future fallen stock after 1 May. [108799]
Mr. Morley: The bio-digestion of fallen stock is not a permitted disposal route. However, the EU Animal By-Products Regulation may allow for novel disposal methods, such as bio-digestion, to be permitted after consultation of the appropriate scientific committee.
The EU Commission has received a number of applications for approval of alternative processes and has sought an opinion from the Scientific Steering Committee. To assist the assessment the Commission requires any submitted data to cover:
- the identification and characterisation of the risk materials;
the TSE risk reduction by the particular process;
the degree of risk containment;
the identification of interdependent processes; and
the intended end-use of the product.
Food Chain (Terrorist Threat)
Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department (a) is taking and (b) is taking jointly with other departments to protect (i) farms and (ii) food imports from the threat of terrorist action. [105074]
Mr. Morley: There is no information to indicate a specific threat to the agriculture or food industry in the UK, but if such a threat should arise then specific advice targeted to the nature of the threat will be provided. The Home Office terrorism website (www.homeoffice.gov.uk/terrorism/index.html) currently contains general advice to the public and this will be updated and changed in accordance with the perceived threat. The Home Office publication "Bombs Protecting People and Property" also provides counter-terrorist security advice, specifically aimed at managers of businesses and organisations large or small and to local government. More specific advice and guidance is available from local police forces.
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In addition, with the agreement of other departments, the Food Standards Agency reminded the food industry in November 2002 of the importance of maintaining vigilance against potential malicious attacks on the food supply. This was a general reminder rather than a response to any new intelligence suggesting a specific threat. This advice remains current.
Defra at official and ministerial level, take a full and active part in the work in central government to improve contingency planning and seek to involve all our stakeholders, in Government, agencies and industries, in the process. This latter point is vital to achieving an improved response to any emergency:
- the Civil Contingencies Committee (CCC) chaired by the Home Secretary and dealing with civil contingencies matters (membership and terms of reference can be found on the Cabinet Office Website: www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/cabsec/2003/cabcom/ccc.htm)
the Defence and Overseas Policy Sub-Committee chaired by the Home Secretary and dealing with Protective and Preventative Security (DOP(IT)(T)) (membership and terms of reference can be found on the Cabinet Office Website: www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/cabsec/2003/cabcom/dopjtt.htm)
the Defence and Overseas Policy Sub-Committee chaired by the Home Secretary and dealing with consequence management and resilience (DOP(lT)(R)) (membership and terms of reference can be found on the Cabinet Office Website: www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/cabsec/2003/cabcom/dopjtr.htm).
Forestry Commission
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of the Forestry Commission's forest and woodlands are certified to FSC equivalent standards; and how much (a) money and (b) time has been spent by her Department on developing and implementing a United Kingdom woodland assurance standard that is equivalent to the FSC. [107244]
Mr. Morley: Following an in-depth independent audit lasting several months, all 800,000 hectares of the forest and woodland area managed by the Forestry Commission were certified in 1999 in accordance with the UK Woodland Assurance Standard. The work to develop the Standard, which meets the criteria of the Forest Stewardship Council, was facilitated by the Commission over a period of 11 months, at a staff and overhead cost to the Commission of some £130,000. The audit work cost £145,000.
Johne's Disease
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what strategies she has in place for tackling the spread of Johne's disease in animals; and if she will make a statement. [106534]
Margaret Beckett: Defra worked closely with the Food Standards Agency during the production of the FSA's strategy for the control of Mycobacterium avium sub-species paratuberculosis (MAP) in cows' milk a part of which was to assess and validate current methods for detecting MAP infection in cattle, organise a survey of MAP infection in the UK dairy herd and produce guidance for farmers on the control of MAP infection. The guidance is expected to be published shortly and the
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other two aspects are being taken forward by an expert sub-group of the Chief Veterinary Officer's Surveillance Group on Diseases and Infections of Animals (SGDIA).
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research her Department has undertaken into methods of controlling Johne's disease; and if she will make a statement. [106535]
Margaret Beckett: The Department is carrying out no specific research into methods of controlling Johne's disease. The former MAFF commissioned the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) to carry out a detailed review of surveillance and control options for Johne's disease in farm animals in Great Britain. The report was published in May 2001 and is available on the Defra website.
In view of the absence of an established link between Johne's disease in cattle and Crohn's disease in humans, the need for research on Johne's disease was considered against research needs in respect of other non-zoonotic endemic livestock diseases. A number of these diseases are more significant economically or have a greater adverse impact on sustainable development than Johne's disease; priority has therefore been given to research on those diseases.
Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research her Department has undertaken into the relationship between Microbacterium avium sub-species paratuberculosis and (a) Crohn's and (b) Johne's disease. [106536]
Margaret Beckett: Mycobacterium avium sub-species paratuberculosis has been known for many years to be the cause of Johne's disease. With regard to the relationship between Mycobacterium avium sub-species paratuberculosis and Crohn's disease experts differ in their opinion on such a link and worldwide there is no consensus. The Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens has on two occasions (1992 and 1998) concluded that a link could not be established on current evidence. A similar view was reached by the EU Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare.
The Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food did however, recommend that, given differing views on possible links to human illness, which are unlikely to be resolved in the foreseeable future, the Food Standards Agency should convene an expert group of stakeholders to look at ways to prevent the bacterium from entering the food chain. Consistent with this recommendation Defra's research programme has been directed towards reducing the levels of MAP in milk and milk products.
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