§ Lord Mountevansasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the latest progress report on bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
Lord Lucas:A further Report on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) was placed in the Library of the House on 18th December.
The report gives an update on new variant Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease cases and explains the new measures taken on cattle identification and animal feed. Reference is made to the five-point plan agreed in Florence for the resumption of exports and explains that all the preconditions, with the exception of the accelerated slaughter programme, have been complied with. It also details the sustained improvement in the handling of 9WA Specified Bovine Material in slaughterhouses. The report also announces the occurrence of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy in a domestic cat born after the extension of the Specified Bovine Offal ban in September 1990.
The number of clinically suspect cases of BSE reported in Great Britain has continued to fall and at 31st October 1996 was 36.1 per cent. less than at the same time in 1995 and 63.3 per cent. less than the same time in 1994. A continued improvement is expected for the future.