Foot and Mouth (Hansard, 26 February 2002)

§ Mr. Andrew Turner
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many press releases were issued about foot and mouth disease between 19 February and 18 March 2001; and how many refer to an epidemic. [33711]

§ Mr. Morley
[holding answer 5 February 2002]: Between 19 February and 18 March 2001, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food issued 17 press releases. The word epidemic was not used in any of them.

§ Mr. Drew
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what samples were kept for further investigation of those animals slaughtered on suspicion during the recent foot and mouth outbreak. [37475]

§ Mr. Morley
As at 19 February 2002, samples had been taken on 331 Slaughter on Suspicion (SOS) premises to investigate the presence of foot and mouth virus.

Sample types included the following material:

epithelium from the feet and mouth

blood

Probang samples.

Many samples used for diagnosis during the outbreak remain in storage at the Institute of Animal Health at Pirbright, but we are informed that to identify how many of these samples were originally from SOS premises would be possible only at disproportionate cost.