§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what precautions are taken by his Department's vets and officials to avoid spreading foot and mouth disease when they move from farm to farm. [154995]
§ Ms Quin [holding answer 22 March 2001]All officials and contractors must observe stringent cleansing and disinfection procedures when entering or leaving a premises where disease has been confirmed or suspected. Any official or contractor who enters a premises where disease has been confirmed may not enter another premises which contains susceptible species for a period of three days. In certain areas of the country, and in very limited circumstances, this period has just been reduced 805W to 24 hours. In these cases, the risk of spreading foot and mouth disease from the person concerned is far less than the risk that would result front the delayed identification of other infected premises.
§ Mr. Stephen O'BrienTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when his Department was first informed of the possibility of a suspected case of foot and mouth disease at Heddon-on-the-Wall, Northumberland. [154956]
§ Ms Quin [holding answer 22 March 2001]The Ministry first became aware of a suspected case of footland mouth in pigs at a farm in Heddo-on-the-Wall on 22 February and confirmed disease on the following day.
§ Mr. PicklesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the recommended permitted time is from the culling of an animal to the disposal of its carcase. [153953]
§ Ms QuinOur objective is to slaughter affected animals within 24 hours of disease having been confirmed, and then to dispose of the carcases within a further 24 hours. There have been problems in achieving these targets, primarily in areas of high disease incidence particularly with the disposal of carcases. Extra operational support has been brought in, in particular logistical help from the armed forces to improve the planning, co-ordination and management of the slaughter and disposal process.
§ Dr. Julian LewisTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reason it is taking five days for pigs in some areas to be slaughtered after being diagnosed as infected with the foot and mouth virus. [155077]
§ Ms Quin [holding answer 26 March 2001]We are not aware of any occasion where it has taken five days to slaughter pigs after disease has been confirmed. If the hon. Member can provide me with details of cases he has in mind, we will look into the matter further.
§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the reason is for the length of time taken for tests on livestock for foot and mouth disease to be completed and reported. [154994]
§ Ms Quin [holding answer 22 March 2001]Currently, well over 90 per cent. of foot and mouth cases are being confirmed on the basis of clinical evidence by the veterinary officer who inspects the animals concerned. Where it is necessary to take samples for testing, these are collected, packaged and despatched to the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) at Pirbright in Surrey. The IAH carry out an ELISA test which takes about 5–6 hours to complete. Positive results are then faxed to MAFF's Emergency Control Centre in London for immediate action. The ELISA test can give false negative results and so all negatives are checked by attempting to isolate the foot and mouth virus in a cell culture. This process can take 4–5 days to complete.
§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received on the amount of information available to farmers concerning the foot and mouth disease outbreak; and what steps he is taking to ensure that farmers are kept fully informed. [155018]
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§ Ms QuinSince the beginning of the outbreak Ministers have held regular, wide ranging meetings with farming and other organisations to ensure they are kept informed of developments. These meetings have provided the Ministry with direct feedback on the information that farmers need to help them cope with the outbreak.
MAFF has a foot and mouth website which is updated at least twice a day to provide the latest news and information. A helpline is open seven days a week from 8 am to 11 pm to answer queries from farmers and members of the public. We have also produced a series of fact sheets on foot and mouth disease which have been sent to every farmer in England, Scotland and Wales. Supplies are held in Animal Health Offices and copies placed in Libraries of both Houses.
§ Mr. BoswellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations he has held with the Department for Education and Employment about(a) closure of schools and other education institutions,(b) enforced absence of pupils and the provision of education by other means and (c) staff absence, owing to residence in areas affected by foot and mouth disease. [154674]
§ Ms Quin [holding answer 21 March 2001]From the beginning of the outbreak Ministry officials have maintained close contact with officials from the Department for Education and Employment, for example over the advice which the Department for Education and Employment provided to local education authorities on school closures, and staff and pupil absences resulting from the outbreak.
§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if foot and mouth disease can be spread by exposure to plants and grains; and if he will make a statement. [154949]
§ Ms QuinPlants and grains do not become contaminated if they grow on land which had previously been grazed by animals affected by the disease. Their surfaces can become contaminated if they have been in physical contact or close proximity with an infected animal.
MAFF has posted on its website a general assessment of the implications of the foot and mouth outbreak for the grain trade. No movement of grain is permitted from UK farms where foot and mouth is suspected or has been confirmed. There are no restrictions on the drilling of crops on premises where disease is known or thought to exist. There are, however, restrictions on the movement of plant and machinery to or from such premises.
§ Sir John MorrisTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has established the cause of the current foot and mouth outbreak. [155040]
§ Ms QuinDetailed epidemiological investigations are being undertaken into the source of the outbreak. Initial findings suggest that the earliest outbreak was at a pig premises in north-east England and that infection spread from there through the movement of animals, particularly sheep, before the first case was found in Essex on 19 February. However, it is still unclear how the infection entered the United Kingdom. Information on the initial epidemiological findings will be published.
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§ Mr. PendryTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to bring in extra veterinary surgeons from other countries to assist with the foot and mouth disease outbreak. [154950]
§ Ms QuinOver 100 veterinary staff have arrived or are due to arrive from the official veterinary services of 11 different countries. There are now over 1,200 veterinarians involved in controlling the foot and mouth disease outbreak.
§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when his Department was first notified of a possible outbreak of foot and mouth disease at Wick Farm, Laye-de-la-Haye, Essex; when the outbreak was confirmed; when the slaughter of livestock was(a) commenced and (b) completed; when the destruction of carcases was (i) started and (ii) completed; and if he will make a statement. [154720]
§ Ms Quin [holding answer 20 March 2001]The information requested is as follows:
8 March 2001—A MAFF Veterinary Of leer visited Wick Farm, Layer-de-la-Haye, Essex as part of a foot and mouth disease tracing from an export animal collection centre in Kent.
9 March 2001—Foot and mouth disease confirmed.
9–10 March 2001—All susceptible livestock slaughtered.
11 March 2001—The fire was started. The carcases would have been destroyed within 24 hours. The fire remained under supervision throughout.
§ Mr.ÖpikTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will request the suspension of non-essential maintenance work by utility companies which involves work on farm land during the outbreak of foot and mouth disease; and if he will make a statement. [154789]
§ Ms QuinThe utility companies have suspended non-essential work within foot and mouth infected areas.
Advice and precautions to be exercised by people working in the countryside has been posted on MAFF's website www.maff.gov.uk. Central to this advice is that people should follow strict cleansing procedures which would include leaving vehicles outside the farm, disinfecting boots and wearing boots or clothing supplied by the farm. People working in the countryside should ensure that all mud, slurry and manure is washed off before they leave the premises.
It is essential that all visits to farms and possible contacts with animals are recorded, The records should include the date and time of the visit. Should disease occur on a farm then these records will be used to trace movements and possible spread of the disease.
§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what his departmental policy was during 2000 in respect of the disinfecting of lorries used for movement of animals, between such movements. [154666]
§ Ms Quin [holding answer 20 March 2001]The rules covering the cleansing and disinfection of vehicles used for animal transport were consolidated in the Transport of Animals (Cleansing and Disinfection) (England) (No. 2) Order 2000 (SI 2000/1618), which came into force on 6 July 2000. This Order requires that, subject to certain808W exemptions, livestock transports should be cleansed and disinfected after each use. It also requires livestock transports that have become soiled, which may give rise to a risk of transmission of disease since last being cleansed and disinfected, to be cleansed and disinfected again before they are next used.
§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when farmers will be compensated for the problems faced due to the foot and mouth epidemic. [154030]
§ Ms Quin [holding answer 16 March 2001]I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle) on 13 March 2001,Official Report, column 565W.
The Department aims to pay compensation for animals slaughtered to control foot and mouth disease as soon as possible after valuation, confirmation of slaughter and checking of claims. As at 3.30 pm on Friday 23 March, 121 claims which total £12.7 million have been paid and a further 138 claims which total £10.5 million have been approved and will be paid shortly.
§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what level of compensation he will give to farmers affected by the recent foot and mouth outbreak, with particular reference to(a) farmers having infected animals slaughtered, (b) farmers affected by the ban on movement and (c) farmers suffering loss of income through lack of bed and breakfast bookings; and if he will make a statement. [154285]
§ Ms QuinCompensation is payable for the market value of animals slaughtered to control foot and mouth disease. It is not payable for the consequential losses for example caused by movement restrictions. There are no plans to make such payments in response to the current outbreak, but the situation will be kept under review. On 22 March we opened the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme to deal with livestock facing serious welfare problems as a result of foot and mouth disease control measures. Where the welfare issue can not be resolved by other means, livestock farmers may enter the animals into this voluntary scheme for removal and disposal at the Government's expense, and receive a payment.
My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment has also announced measures to assist businesses affected by the outbreak. The Taskforce which he is chairing will continue its work and the Government will want to consider any further response in the light of the latest developments.
§ Mr. GrayTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if Lacock falls within a restricted foot and mouth area. [155332]
§ Ms Quin [holding answer 23 March 2001]Lacock falls within the foot and mouth infected area defined in the Foot and Mouth Disease Declaratory (No 30) Order 2001. A copy of the Order and a map of the infected area has been posted on the Ministry's website http:// www.maff.gov.uk/.
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§ Mr. LuffTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice his Department is giving to farmers about drilling crops on holdings that(a) have been or (b) may have been affected by foot and mouth; and if he will make a statement. [155334]
§ Ms Quin [holding answer 23 March 2001]MAFF has posted on its website a general assessment of the implications of the foot and mouth outbreak for the grain trade. No movement of grain is permitted from UK farms where foot and mouth is suspected or has been confirmed. There are no restrictions on the drilling of crops on premises where disease is known or thought to exist. There are, however, restrictions on the movement of plant and machinery to or from such premises.
§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when his Department was first notified of a possible outbreak of foot and mouth disease on Boydale's Farm, Neatherfield, Essex; when the case was confirmed; when the slaughter of livestock was(a) commenced and (b) completed; when the destruction of carcases was (i) commenced and (ii) completed; and if he will make a statement. [155376]
§ Ms Quin [holding answer 23 March 2001]The information requested is as follows:
14 March 2001—A MAFF Veterinary Officer visited Boydale's Farm as a result of an animal movement tracing.
14 March 2001—Disease confirmed.
14–15 March 2001—Livestock slaughtered.
15 March 2001—Fire started. The carcases would have been destroyed within 24 hours. The fire remained under supervision throughout.
§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what investigations he has carried out, with what results, into the sources of meat used in meals served by schools in(a) Sunderland and (b) Gateshead from which the outbreak of foot and mouth disease may have emerged; and if he will make a statement. [154713]
§ Ms QuinInvestigations into the source of the foot and mouth outbreak are continuing. When we are in a position to draw firm conclusions they will be published.