§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has about the incidence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the Republic of Ireland; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of monitoring and control procedures of Irish beef imports into the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. MacleanThere have been 26 confirmed cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the Republic of Ireland out of a total cattle population of over 7 million. The scientific veterinary committee of the European Community considered the question of trade from countries that have a low incidence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy and concluded that no further measures are necessary in addition to the current animal and public health rules.