HC Deb 21 June 1988 vol 135 cc511-2W
Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether his Department has arranged for urgent research to be undertaken into the possible transmission of the causative agent of bovine spongiform encephalopathy to human beings in such a way that potentially fatal human Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease results.

Mr. Donald Thompson

Studies are already under way to discover whether BSE is transmissible between cattle and to other species.

Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is taking any action to prevent butchers selling for human consumption uncooked brains from cattle infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

Mr. Donald Thompson

Legislation comes into force today which makes bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) a notifiable disease. The Ministry's veterinary service will be retaining the heads of all cattle in respect of which disease is notified, in order to examine brain tissue for diagnostic purposes. The brains will not, therefore, be available for human consumption.

Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will arrange for urgent research to be undertaken to develop a test for discovering the presence of the causative agent of bovine spongiform encephalopathy before its presence is revealed by the behaviour of the infected beast.

Mr. Donald Thompson

Yes. Immunological tests are being developed which, as part of their objectives, are designed to detect the presence of the agent in various tissues of the animal. The research programme will also address the need to try and develop a test in the live animal.