§ Mr. Harrisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence is available to his Department about an outbreak of a new disease of pigs, known as swine influenza; what information he has about the incidence and geographical distribution of the disease; and how the disease arrived in the United Kingdom.
§ Mrs. FennerThis disease is not notifiable and accurate statistics are not available about numbers of outbreaks. However, this year Ministry veterinary investigation centres have identified the infection in 10 herds located in Dorset, Norfolk, Somerset, Suffolk and Yorkshire. The origin of the disease is currently under investigation.
§ Mr. Maclennanasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department has yet identified the swine fever strain responsible for the recent outbreak of the disease in the West of England; what information he has regarding the cause of swine fever outbreaks in other member states of the European Community in the current year; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. FennerStudies on the characterisation of the classical swine fever virus have not reached a stage which enables meaningful epidemiological conclusions to be drawn from individual isolates.
The origin of the outbreak of classical swine fever in Devon is still under investigation. Where identified, the main causes of disease outbreaks in other member states this year have been the movement of pigs and the feeding of inadequately processed waste food.