§ Mr. PurchaseTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what are the Government's plans for emergency incineration provision to help clear the backlog of over-30-month cull cattle carcases in each region; and what is the timetable for their implementation; [5763]
(2) what plans he has for considering proposals to construct regional incinerators for the incineration of cattle carcases; [5764]
(3) what progress has been made on the scheme for existing power station furnaces to be utilised for incineration of carcases; and when he expects any such scheme to be in place. [5765]
§ Mr. BaldryThe Government have no plans for emergency incineration provision for over-30-month scheme cattle carcases. Incineration, however, does have an important part to play in the scheme and the Government are pursuing the prospect of direct carcase incineration with interested companies. A competitive tender exercise was held in June for the provision of incineration services as a means of disposing of some of the carcases of animals slaughtered under the OTMS over and above those services already provided on a limited basis for BSE suspect cases and casualty animals. Following evaluation of all the offers received, the Intervention Board has issued letters of intent to nine companies to provide incineration capacity over the country.
The Government have managed to increase the slaughter rate under the OTMS in recent weeks. It has increased from 23,000 in the third week of August to around 60,000 by the middle of November. The backlog of animals on farms at 2 November has been registered at just under 330,000 animals and, at current disposal rates, the backlog in England and Wales is expected to be cleared by christmas.
There are no proposals to incinerate carcases in power stations. The possibility of burning materials derived from rendered carcases—that is, meat and bonemeal and tallow—in power stations is under consideration and combustion trials have been carried out at a number of facilities. No decision will be made on any option until the test results have been fully evaluated. In considering destruction options, full weight is given to protecting the environment and human health.
284W
§ Mr. TylerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many carcases, from the BSE over 30-month and calf slaughter schemes, are currently in refrigerated storage, by location, at the latest available date. [6228]
§ Mr. BaldryAll calf carcases are consigned direct to rendering. The numbers of carcases of over 30-month cattle held in storage, by location as at 18 November are set out as follows:
Location Number of carcases Avonmouth 4,782 Cambridge 3,362 Craven Arms 6,017 Exeter 1,936 Gainsborough 20,724 Gillingham (Kent) 16,174 Grimsby 3,117 Hereford 1,182 Hull 5,114 Isle of Grain 5,930 Liverpool 918 London 1,764 Manchester 369 Newcastle 2,605 Paddock Wood 13,016 Preston 357 Richmond, Yorkshire 533 Sheffield 3,008 Stoke on Trent 1,780 Wigan 5,593 Conan Bridge 9,479 Aberdeen 1,257 Locharbriggs 3,786 Glasgow 917 Inverness 7,628 Enniskillen 1,834 Ardglass 3,054 Dundrum 334 Craigavon 14,202 Gaerwen 1,155 Cardiff 2,775 Newport, Wales 2,547
§ Mr. TylerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what competitive tenders he has obtained for the incineration of carcases, from the BSE over-30-month scheme; and if he will list the successful bidders indicating in each case the numbers involved. [6231]
§ Mr. BaldryThe Intervention Board received 35 responses from interested parties who were shortlisted to tender for the incineration of carcases from the over-30-month scheme. The nine respondents which were offered a contract, subject to their obtaining all necessary licences and consents, are listed, together with their indicative weekly carcase capacity:
- Bronzeoak: 2,800
- Canfield: 5,000
- Durga: 1,000
- Euromet: 570
- P. J. Hayman and Sons: 200
- Kingsclere: 360
- Sacone: 1,500
- TRG: 200
- WRE Services: 1,200.