§ 65. Mr. Sean HughesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review his policy concerning compensation for the slaughter of cattle infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonI have no plans to do so. I have no evidence at all that farmers are cheating or trying to cheat.
§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state for each month of the current year the number of cattle identified as bovine spongiform encephalopathy-suspect by ante-mortem inspections at markets or slaughterhouses in the United Kingdom; and how many of these were subsequently confirmed as infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy by post-mortem inspection.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonThis information is not held centrally.
§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a table showing the cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy confirmed in each county of the United Kingdom for the four-week period ended 14 April.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonI refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 20 April at columns282–83, which covers the period in question.