Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Hansard, 26 April 1990)

§ Mr. Ron Davies
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department's study has yet established the vertical transmissibility of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle.

§ Mr. Maclean
No. BSE's protracted incubation period means that preliminary results from the study to determine whether vertical transmission takes place might not be expected for at least two years.

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research has been carried out to establish whether the infective agent responsible for bovine spongiform encephalopathy is transmissible from carcase to environmental media after landfilling; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Maclean
Carcases are buried under Ministry supervision and in accordance with sound veterinary practice to ensure that none can pose a risk of spreading BSE.

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what disposal techniques are employed in respect of carcases from cattle infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Maclean
Carcases are disposed of by incineration or burial.

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of carcases from cattle positively identified as being infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy in 1989 were(a) incinerated, (b) landfilled and (c) otherwise disposed of in (i) Cornwall, (ii) Devon, (iii) east sussex and (iv) West Sussex; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Maclean
This information is not held centrally in the form requested. However, in the south-west region,316W which includes Cornwall and Devon, 83 per cent. of carcases were incinerated and 17 per cent. buried in 1989. In the south-east region, which includes east and west Sussex, 99 per cent. were incinerated and 1 per cent. buried in 1989.