HL Deb 15 September 2004 vol 664 cc193-4WA
The Duke of Montrose

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Answer by the Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton on 8 September (HL Deb, col. 677), whether they intend to provide compensation to the owners of hefted hill flock lamb crops who have not opted for whole flock slaughter and whose lambs will only be allowed to be disposed of for slaughter when unfinished and not suitable for human consumption. [HL4158]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty)

Under the compulsory scrapie flocks scheme, where the approach of genotyping the flock applies, compensation will be paid only in respect of sheep of the susceptible genotypes that have to be killed and destroyed and cannot enter the food chain. It is not intended that compensation will be paid for sheep of genotypes that have to be slaughtered for human consumption.

However, where genotyping action has to be taken in a flock with a lamb crop on the ground, owners may be offered the option of having some or all of their lamb crop killed and destroyed without genotyping. In these circumstances, compensation would be paid for all lambs killed and destroyed.