§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) when the first case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy was identified during the current outbreak;
(2) when his Department first recognised bovine spongiform encephalopathy as a disease affecting cattle.
§ Mr. MacGregorThe first identified case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy occurred in November 1986.
§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state for each county in England and Wales the total number of identified cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy for each of the past 24 months.
§ Mr. MacGregorThe number of confirmed cases in each county in England and Wales is set out in the table by the month in which the onset of clinical symptoms began.
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County July August September October November December Essex — — — — — — Gloucestershire — — — — — — Greater Manchester — — — — — — Hampshire — — — — — — Hereford and Worcester — — — — — — Hertfordshire — — — — — — Humberside — — — — — — Isle of Wight — — — — — — Kent — — — 3 — 1 Lancashire — — — — — — Leicestershire — — — — — — Lincolnshire — — — — — — Merseyside — — — — — — Norfolk — — — — — — Northamptonshire — — — — — — Northumberland — — — — — — North Yorkshire — — — — — — Nottinghamshire — — — — — — Oxfordshire — — — — — — Shropshire — — — — — — Somerset — — — — 1 — South Yorkshire — — — — — — Staffordshire — — — — — — Suffolk — — — — — — Surrey — — — — — — Tyne and Wear — — — — — — Warwickshire — — — — — — West Midlands — — — — — — West Sussex — — — — — — West Yorkshire — — — — — — Wiltshire — — — — — — Wales Clwyd — — — — — — Dyfed — — — — — — Gwent — — — — — — Gwynedd — — — — — — Mid Glamorgan — — — — — — Powys — — — — — — South Glamorgan — — — — — — West Glamorgan — — — — — —
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Month of clinical onset—1987 County January February March April May June July August September October November December England Avon — — — 1 — — 1 1 2 1 1 1 Bedfordshire — — — — — — — — — 1 1 — Berkshire — — 2 — — — 1 — — — 1 — Buckinghamshire 1 — — 1 — 1 1 — — 1 1 — Cambridgeshire — — — — 1 — — — — — — 1 Cheshire — — — — — — — 1 1 1 1 1 Cleveland — — — — — — — — — — — — Cornwall 1 — — 3 — 4 2 7 7 10 1 6 Cumbria — — — — 1 — 1 — 1 2 2 1 Derbyshire — — — — — — — — 1 1 — 1 Devon 1 1 1 6 1 7 13 7 10 4 10 7 Dorset — 1 — — 1 1 2 3 3 6 2 3 Durham — — — — — — — — — 1 — — East Sussex — — — — — — 1 — 1 1 — 1 Essex — — — — — — — — — — — 1 Gloucestershire — — 1 — 1 2 — 2 4 2 3 2 Greater Manchester — — — — — — — — — — — — Hampshire — — — 1 — — — — 2 2 3 2 Hereford and Worcester — 1 — 1 — 1 — — — 2 1 — Hertfordshire — — — — — — — — — — — — Humberside — — — — — — — — — — — — Isle of Wight — — — — — — 1 — — — — — Kent — 1 — 1 — 3 1 1 1 7 3 — Lancashire — — — — — — 1 — — — 1 — Leicestershire — — — — — — — — 1 — 1 2 Lincolnshire — — — — — — — — — — 1 1 Merseyside — — — — — — — — — — — — Norfolk — — — — — 1 — 1 1 — — — Northamptonshire — — 1 — — — — — 1 — — — Northumberland — — — — — — — — — — — — North Yorkshire — — — — — — — 1 1 2 1 2
County January February March April May June July August September October November December Nottinghamshire — — — — — — — 1 1 — — — Oxfordshire — — — — — — 1 — 1 — — 2 Shropshire — — — — — 1 1 — 3 3 3 1 Somerset 1 — 1 — 4 1 2 2 5 4 2 4 South Yorkshire — — — — — — — — — — — — Staffordshire — — — — — — — — 3 — 1 1 Suffolk — — — — — — 1 — — — 1 3 Surrey — — 1 — — — — — 1 — — 1 Tyne and Wear — — — — — — — — — — — — Warwickshire — — — — — 1 — — 1 — — — West Midlands — — — — — — — — — — — — West Sussex — — 1 — — — — 1 — — 1 — West Yorkshire — — — — — — — — — — — — Wiltshire — — — — 4 1 1 — — 3 — 3 Wales Clwyd — — — — — — — — — 1 1 1 Dyfed — — — — — — 3 1 3 3 — 5 Gwent — — — — — — — — — 1 — 2 Gwynedd — — — — — — — — — 2 1 — Mid Glamorgan — — — — — — — — — — — 1 Powys — — — — — — — — — — — — South Glamorgan — — — — — — — — — — — — West Glamorgan — — — — — — — — — 1 — —
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Month of clinical onset—1988 County January February March April May June July August September October England Avon — 1 — 1 — — — — — — Bedfordshire 2 — — — 1 — — — — — Berkshire 1 2 1 1 2 1 — — — — Buckinghamshire 1 1 1 1 1 — — — — — Cambridgeshire — — — 2 — — — — — — Cheshire 2 1 1 4 3 7 5 — — — Cleveland — — — — — 1 — — — — Cornwall 2 4 4 8 6 17 11 2 — — Cumbria 1 1 — 2 3 1 3 3 — — Derbyshire 1 — 2 — 3 3 3 — — — Devon 12 7 9 11 12 9 13 3 — — Dorset 3 — 3 4 12 5 7 3 — — Durham — — — — — 1 — — — — East Sussex 1 1 — — 1 — — 1 — — Essex — — 1 — — 1 — — — — Gloucestershire 5 5 4 1 2 6 4 1 — — Greater Manchester — — — — — — — — — — Hampshire 2 5 2 3 7 8 4 2 — — Hereford & Worcester 1 2 2 2 2 5 3 3 — — Hertfordshire — — — — — 4 1 3 — — Humberside 1 — — — — 1 — — — — Isle of Wight — — — 1 — 1 3 — — — Kent 2 1 2 2 2 3 — 1 — — Lancashire 2 2 — 1 4 4 2 1 — — Leicestershire — 1 2 2 2 3 — 4 — — Lincolnshire 1 1 3 1 3 4 1 — — — Merseyside — — — — — — — — — — Norfolk — 2 1 2 — — 1 — — — Northamptonshire 1 — 1 — 1 1 1 — — — Northumberland 1 — — 1 1 2 — — — — North Yorkshire 2 1 — 6 2 6 5 3 — — Nottinghamshire — 2 — — — 1 — — — — Oxfordshire 2 1 — — 3 4 1 1 — — Shropshire 3 2 3 2 1 3 8 2 — — Somerset 5 2 3 7 8 15 11 5 — — South Yorkshire — — — — — — — — — — Staffordshire — 3 1 2 1 2 2 2 — — Suffolk 1 1 — — 1 5 3 1 — — Surrey 2 2 — 2 — 3 1 1 — — Tyne and Wear — — — — — — — — — — Warwickshire — — — 1 — — — 1 — — West Midlands — — — — — — — — — — West Sussex 1 1 1 2 7 3 6 3 — — West Yorkshire — 1 — — — 1 — — — — Wiltshire — — 5 3 11 9 2 3 — — Wales Clwyd 2 — — 1 — 3 — — — —
County January February March April May June July August September October Dyfed 6 4 5 4 5 6 3 2 — — Gwent 1 — — 1 3 2 1 — — — Gwynedd — 2 — — — — 1 — — — Mid Glamorgan — 1 — — 1 1 — — — — Powys 2 — 1 1 1 2 1 — — — South Glamorgan 1 1 — — — — — — — — West Glamorgan — — — — — — — — — —
§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases of cattle compulsorily slaughtered as suspected cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy have been subsequently shown to be not infected, by county in cases.
§ Mr. MacGregorA total of 363 cattle have been compulsorily slaughtered as suspected BSE cases. Of these, following examination of brain tissue, BSE has not subsequently been confirmed in 25 cases. these were in the following counties:
Non-confirmed cases Buckinghamshire 1 Cheshire 1 Clwyd 1 Cornwall 3 Cumbria 2 Devon 2 Dorset 1 Dumfries and Galloway 1 Gloucestershire 2 Hampshire 1 Kent 1 North Yorkshire 2 Oxfordshire 1 Shropshire 3 Strathclyde 1 West Sussex 1 Wiltshire 1
§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) on what date compulsory slaughtering of suspected bovine spongiform encephalopathy-infected cattle was instituted; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what steps his Department has taken to ensure that products from bovine spongiform encephalopathy-infected cattle, or suspected infected cattle, are not entered for human consumption; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacGregorFrom 8 August this year all cattle suspected, on clinical grounds, of being affected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy, have been compulsorily slaughtered and the carcases either incinerated or buried.
§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he first received representations calling for compensation schemes in respect of bovine spongiform encephalopathy or suspected bovine spongiform encephalopathy-infected cattle; if he will list all such representations; and if he will put copies of such representations in the Library.
§ Mr. MacGregorSince bovine spongiform encephalopathy emerged as a new disease problem, a number of organisations and individuals have written to me744W expressing views about how to deal with it. It would be neither practical nor appropriate to place copies of the representations in the Library of the House.
The Government established an expert working party under the chairmanship of Sir Richard Southwood to advise on all aspects of BSE. That working party made an interim recommendation that affected carcases should be destroyed as a precautionary measure. The Government acted very quickly indeed in responding to this and introduced a policy of compulsory slaughter with compensation.
§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department can now positively identify bovine spongiform encephalopathy by means other than post mortem examination; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacGregorThere is no test available in the live animal. Cofirmation is possible only by post-mortem examination of brain tissue.
§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has made any estimate of the amounts of animal products entered for human consumption from bovine spongiform encephalopathy-infected cattle prior to the introduction of the present restrictions.
§ Mr. MacGregorA precise estimate is not possible, but from the evidence obtained about the incidence of disease since it was first identified in November 1986, the number of affected cattle slaughtered for human consumption prior to the introduction of the present arrangements is likely to have been small.
§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his Department's assessment of the relationship between scrapie in sheep and bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacGregorBovine spongiform encephalopathy has a number of features in common with scrapie in sheep. Research is being undertaken to establish the exact relationship between the two diseases.
§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the possible damage to human health from the consumption of products from bovine spongiform encephalopathy-infected cattle.
§ Mr. MacGregorThere is no evidence of any risk to humans. Nevertheless, the Government asked Sir Richard Southwood, professor of zoology at Oxford university, to chair an expert working party to examine all aspects of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, including any human health implications. The Government have acted on the working party's interim recommendation that as a 745W precautionary measure, until more is known about BSE, the carcases of affected animals should be destroyed. Meanwhile, research is being undertaken into the possible transmissibility of BSE.
§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those measures being taken by his Department to limit the incidence and spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
§ Mr. MacGregorThe Government have made the notification of suspected cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy compulsory. Cattle suspected of having the disease are compulsorily slaughtered and the carcases incinerated or buried. Compensation is paid at 50 per cent. of the market value of compulsorily slaughtered animals, valued as if healthy, up to a ceiling.
From 18 July the feeding to cattle of rations containing material from ruminants has been suspended since this is the most likely cause of the disease. Meanwhile a team of experts is conducting a thorough investigation into all rendering plants in Great Britain to determine whether it may be possible to produce animal feed derived from ruminants which can safely be included in cattle rations.
§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what research his Department is sponsoring into the causes, diagnostic testing, development of immunity, epidemiology and effects of bovine spongiform encephalopathy; and what his plans are for the long-term funding of such research;
(2) whether he has allocated funds for research into bovine spongiform encephalopathy on the basis that it is now market research.
§ Mr. MacGregorEpidemiological studies are continuing, the purpose of which is partly to examine the role of meat and bonemeal as the possible source of bovine spongiform encephalopathy and to monitor to occurrence, if any, of any maternal or horizontal transmission. Research work is being carried out to determine the transmissibility of bovine spongiform encephalopathy to various host species, including calves, and studies are being undertaken to define the clinical disorder and to establish its relationship with scrapie. Government funds have been allocated to undertake this research.