§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress is being made in the research to find a vaccine to protect sheep from sheep scab. [HL2500]
§ Lord WhittyWith the eventual aim of reducing the use of chemicals for the control of sheep scab, Defra is funding an ongoing programme of research. Building on the scientific findings from previous work, a large collaborative project, the cost of which was £657,000, involving immunological studies in sheep was started in July 2000. Scientists at the VLA, Weybridge, and the Moredun Institute, Edinburgh, are reporting good progress and are cautiously optimistic for future developments. However the development of a vaccine for wide-scale use is some years away. Further information on this work will be available on-line during February 2002 athttp//www.defra'research/ publications/reviews.