HC Deb 18 July 1991 vol 195 cc491-2
11. Mr. Harry Barnes

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the total incidence and regional concentrations of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in England and Wales.

Mr. Maclean

The incidence of confirmed cases of BSE in 1990 was about 0.33 per cent. of the average adult cattle population of England and Wales. Nearly half those cases have occurred in the south-west of England.

Mr. Barnes

Will the Minister confirm that BSE rates are as high as ever in this country and that there are now 31,000 confirmed cases? The Government estimated that there would be 20,000. Why is there such a difference between the Government's hope and the reality?

Mr. Maclean

The disease is following the pattern predicted by the epidemiologists. In the past few months the increase has been very slight, although the overall number of cases continues, slowly, to rise. We would expect that. The source of the disease was cut off a few years ago, when the Government took action on animal feeding. The animals now appearing with the disease were infected earlier and we must now wait until the numbers decline and die out of the system.

Mr. Marland

May I congratulate my hon. Friend on the steps that the Government have taken to eradicate BSE? If the Ministry has any influence on planning applications for the construction of BSE incinerators, will he treat them with great care and ensure that no animal incinerators are put anywhere near residential areas or even in industrial estates? The devices should be situated in isolated areas that are well away from everything else.

Mr. Maclean

My Ministry will give all the help that it can to local authorities and others, including technical advice on the design of incinerators for carcase disposal.

Mr. Ted Garrett

Does the Minister accept that there are 20 million tonnes of cereals in stock within the EC intervention fund? Does he accept also that despite the complaints of some that we are having a wet summer, the signs are that we shall have another record cereal crop? Arising from those two simple facts, is the Minister sure that the set-aside scheme is working?

Mr. Curry

The set-aside scheme was never designed to deal with cereal surpluses. Instead, it was designed to give some assistance to those who found it difficult to face the downward movement of prices. We still regard the scheme as part of the formula, but we regard producer closeness to the marketplace as the essential centrepiece of any reform of the sector.