§ Mr. Kennedyasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much financial support 242W on an annual basis has been given through the grasslands trials unit of the Overseas Development Agency for the eradication of hydatid disease on the Falkland Islands; how successful the eradication programme has been; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RaisonControl of hydatid disease has been achieved through Falkland Islands Government legislation. Advice and assistance by the Falkland Islands agricultural research and development centre, formerly the grassland trials unit, on control and eradication of this disease has been minimal and represents a small part only of the centre's activities in the Islands. It is not possible to quantify the financial support on this particular activity.
The programme's success can be measured against an infection rate amongst sheep slaughtered at the Stanley abattoir of 53 per cent. in 1970, 10 per cent. in 1976 and less than 2 per cent. in 1983.