Foot-and-Mouth Disease

HC Deb 23 January 1967 vol 739 cc203-4W

Viscount Lambton

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent he was responsible for digging the pit for the burial of sheep at Stewart Shiels Farm, Otterburn; how many sheep are buried in the pit; whether their stomachs were slit before burial; and who was the contractor responsible.

Mr. Peart

Fully. 3,096 sheep were buried on the farm and in accordance with normal practice their abdomens were not cut before burial. The contractor was the Seghill Construction Co. Ltd.

Viscount Lambton

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that blood and grease oozing from the burial ground of sheep killed last summer on Stewart Shiels Farm, Otterburn, is entering a burn which flows into the River Rede; and what action he intends to take.

Mr. Peart

No. This allegation has been investigated by one of my veterinary officers and an officer of the Northumberland River Authority. There is no evidence of leakage from the pit or of pollution of the watercourse. There is some evidence of surface mould where the slaughtering took place. The site was however disinfected at the time and no foot and mouth disease risk is present.

Viscount Lambton

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many inquiries have been held in the last 20 years after outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease.

Mr. Peart

None, apart from the normal review carried out within the Department. The only recent inquiry was that of the Departmental Committee on Foot-and-Mouth Disease under the Chairmanship of Sir Ernest Gowers which reported in 1954 (Command 9214). This dealt with general policy and was not related to specific outbreaks.

Viscount Lambton

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why gravel pits on infected farms were allowed to continue operating during the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Northumberland last summer.

Mr. Peart

This was not allowed. If the hon. Member has in mind the extraction of gravel from the River Coquet near one infected farm this did not involve any risk to animal health because the approach was by a fenced road, passing between arable fields.