§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the research into the causes of BSE in cattle that has been published by Professor Alan Ebringer and Professor John Pirt of King's College, London. [101700]
§ Mr. Nick Brown[holding answer 7 December 1999]: Professors Ebringer, Pirt and others have published two papers postulating a possible alternative theory of autoimmunity for BSE in cattle and multiple sclerosis in man. In the third and latest paper, from a small study funded by MAFF, they report elevated levels of antibodies against brain components in the sera of BSE-affected cattle. Professor Ebringer claims that this supports his alternative theory for BSE. The work funded by MAFF should go some way to provide scientifically based information either to support or refute this theory.