§ Mrs. Margaret EwingTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what international co-operation in research into bovine spongiform encephalopathy is currently being undertaken by Her Majesty's Government.
§ Mr. Maclean[holding answer 2 November 1989]: An international collaborative project to determine the transmissibility of bovine spongiform encephalopathy ( BSE) to mink is currently being planned with colleagues in the USA.
International co-operation in research into BSE has been and will continue to be discussed in various international fora, including the EEC and the Organisation Internationale des Epizooties. In addition, a round table on BSE, attended by US and European delegates, was held in the United States of America in June 1989. From these discussions further collaborative research studies may he instituted.