HL Deb 27 March 1998 vol 587 cc263-4WA
Lord Burton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they are now satisfied that bovine spongiform encephalopathy is not maternally transmitted. [HL1155]

Lord Donoughue

In published scientific trials, the offspring of cows with BSE are more likely to develop BSE than are other cattle raised in similar conditions. This could be due to maternal transmission or to a genetic effect—differences in susceptibility to infection—or a combination of the two. The scientific evidence does not allow a definitive conclusion to be drawn, but further work is in progress or planned in an attempt to resolve the issue.