Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Hansard, 31 January 1990)

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a further statement on whether bovine spongiform encephalopathy can be communicated to humans in the light of the comments of the Government's Chief Veterinary Officer.

§ Mr. Maclean
All Ministers in this Department and the Chief Veterinary Officer have continually emphasised that there is no evidence of a risk to human health from BSE 235W and that the Southwood working party regarded such a risk as remote. None the less, precautionary measures, including the slaughter and destruction of affected cattle and the banning of certain offals for human consumption from all others, has been taken to counter even that remote and theoretical risk.

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many bovine spongiform encephalopathy-infected cattle have so far been destroyed with farmers receiving Ministry compensation; and how much this compensation has cost so far.

§ Mr. Maclean
From 8 August 1988, when the compulsory slaughter policy was introduced, to 31 December 1989, a total of 9,884 suspected BSE cases were slaughtered in Great Britain and £3,353,928 paid in compensation.

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much it would cost to pay(a) 100 per cent. for cattle affected by bovine spongiform encephalopathy and (b) for the slaughter of female offspring from cows affected by bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

§ Mr. Maclean
It is not possible to estimate such costs in the future, as these would depend on the number of animals slaughtered, and the market price of cattle on which the maximum level of compensation payable depends. But if compensation for all the infected animals compulsorily slaughtered up to the end of 1989 had been at 100 per cent. of their value, subject to existing ceiling arrangements, the cost would have exceeded £6 million.

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the possibility of the passing of the infective agent associated with bovine spongiform encephalopathy from one generation of cattle to the next.

§ Mr. Maclean
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) on 18 December 1989,Official Report, column 30.

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the number of bovine spongiform encephalopathy-infected cattle reaching market and being sold for human consumption.

§ Mr. Maclean
Since BSE became a notifiable disease on 21 June 1988, up to 30 September 1989, the end of the last quarter for which figures are currently available, 81 suspected cases of BSE were identified at markets. Of these, 56 were subsequently confirmed as having BSE. All animals concerned were slaughtered and their carcases destroyed. Of course the removal of specified offals from all cattle more than six months old ensures that there is no risk to human health.

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the National Farmers Union in respect of(a) the ban on the sale of bovine offal for human consumption, (b) the exclusion to the above ban granted to calves under six months, (c) the compensation levels set for bovine spongiform encephalopathy-infected cattle, (d) the level of research into the causes of bovine spongiform encephalopathy and (e) the ban on imports by West German Government.
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§ Mr. Maclean
I have received representations from the National Farmers Union expressing support for the ban on the use of certain bovine offal for human consumption and for the research being conducted into BSE; expressing concern at the West German restrictions on beef imported from Britain, and disagreeing with the level of compensation payable for cattle infected with BSE.

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to prevent the sale of bovine spongiform encephalopathy-affected cattle through non-European countries' slaughterhouses.

§ Mr. Maclean
All cattle suspected of being infected with BSE are compulsorily slaughtered and their carcases burned or buried. In addition to checks carried out by environmental health officers, cattle at non-EC approved slaughterhouses are subject to random ante-mortem inspections by veterinary inspectors.

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has made an assessment of the implications(a) for the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, (b) for the farming community and (c) for the level of exports of British beef, of his policy not to compensate farmers in full for cattle infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

§ Mr. Maclean
I do not believe that existing levels of compensation have any effect on the spread of BSE or on British beef exports. Compensation is intended to provide farmers with a fair recompense for cattle slaughtered as BSE suspects at the Ministry's behest.

§ Mr. Ron Davies
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will implement the recommendations of the Tyrell committee that random sampling of the brains of cattle routinely sent for slaughter should be carried out to test for the presence of subclinical bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

§ Mr. Maclean
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 23 January at column 645.

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he has received any representations from Proten in connection with its product Papain; and if he will make a statement;
(2) when he last met representatives from Proten; and what matters were discussed.

§ Mr. Maclean
The company that owns the patent rights to Proten has expressed disappointment with our decision not to seek provision for the continued use of this pre-slaughter treatment under the rules which are to be adopted for the single market. My right hon. Friend the Minister last met representatives of the organisation concerned on 22 November 1989 to discuss a range of issues relating to their slaughter interests.
I have nothing to add to the full statement I made on this matter during the Adjournment debate on 7 November 1989.