§ Mr. BiffenTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cattle have been slaughtered in the latest available four-weekly period in respect of bovine spongiform encephalopathy; and how many showed external signs of the disease. [31970]
§ Mrs. BrowningIt is not possible to provide details of the numbers of animals slaughtered in the last four week period as there is a delay of between six to eight weeks from the date of slaughter and recording on the central BSE database. The latest four-week data set available for the numbers of animals slaughtered as BSE suspects is:
Week beginning Number 18 March 1996 308 25 March 1996 328 1 April 1996 200 8 April 1996 161 All animals slaughtered as BSE suspects would have been exhibiting clinical signs.