HC Deb 03 March 1960 vol 618 cc158-9W
Sir A. Hurd

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has yet received a report on the escape of virus from the Pirbright Research Station; and whether he will make a statement.

Mr. Hare

Yes. An African type of virus of foot and mouth disease was found to be responsible for the outbreak at Worplesdon on 18th January. Since this type of virus was present at the Research Institute and there is no evidence of the introduction of the virus with imported material, it must be supposed that it escaped from the institute despite the strict security precautions that are in force. The outbreak was stamped out, and a meticulous investigation has been undertaken by my veterinary staff and the Director of the Institute. A thorough review of the stringent disease security precautions taken at the Institute has been completed, but these inquiries have not produced precise evidence of the way in which the virus escaped from the Institute and reached the affected cattle.

Since it must be accepted that an escape took place, it is thought that infective particles which were air-borne escaped through the ventilators of one of the isolation compounds and contaminated the ground in the vicinity, and that thereafter some mechanical transport of the virus took place, probably by a wild animal or bird. The ventilation arrangements for the compounds were designed to confine any escape of virus to the area within the existing vermin-proof fences which surround each unit.

On these assumptions a number of recommendations have been made which have been accepted by the Agricultural Research Council and are being implemented by the Institute. They include further study of the existing ventilation arrangements and the erection of a single perimeter fence which will surround all the isolation units and within which crops attractive to wild life and vermin will no longer be grown. Movements of people and vehicles within the grounds of the Institute are to be reduced by the provision of a car park and bicycle store near the main entrance and the termination of the occupation of two houses which are within the Institute grounds. In this way the risk of contamination of vehicles, work-people or wild animal life will be still further reduced.

Copies of the report will be available in the Library.