§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of maedi-visna disease in sheep have been recorded by the Department of Agriculture, Northern Ireland, in each of the years from 1980 to 1988, in each of the parliamentary constituencies in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. ViggersThere have been no clinical cases of maedi-visna disease in sheep recorded in each of the years from 1980 to 1988 in any of the Parliamentary constituencies of Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures are being taken to ensure that all sheep imported into Northern Ireland are tested for maedi-visna disease.
§ Mr. ViggersSheep may be imported into Northern Ireland only if they meet stringent licensing conditions. These conditions require resting for maedi-visna disease in pre-import and post-import isolation, except where the sheep come from fully accredited maedi-visna-free flocks in the country of origin.
There are no maedi-visna testing requirements for sheep from the Republic of Ireland which, like Northern Ireland, is regarded as maedi-visna free.
§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total number of sheep imported into Northern Ireland in each of the years since 1980; and what were the individual breeds.
§ Mr. ViggersThe information is as follows: 697W
Number 1980 88,014 1981 105,314 1982 42,863 1983 41,403 1984 58,971 1985 67,274 1986 57,249 1987 77,175 1988 55.535 The records available do not indicate the individual breeds.
§ Mr. MallonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many sheep were quarantined in Northern Ireland in each of the years since 1980.
§ Mr. ViggersThe information is as follows:
Number 1980 531 1981 440 1983 500 1984 400 1985 341
Year Antrim Armagh Down Fermanagh Londonderry Tyrone Total 1980 — — — — — — — 1981 — — 13,173 2,241 7,226 1,466 24,106 1982 20,553 23,743 38,656 101,771 46,968 151,280 382,971 1983 134,863 196,344 197,546 386,516 198,696 333,162 1,447,127 1984 261,115 366,192 203,254 782,518 327,484 838,121 2,778,684 1985 356,332 677,989 353,037 1,076,299 488,054 1,433,728 4,385,439 1986 1,010,000 1,386,458 707,924 1,882,423 863,477 3,335,010 9,185,292 1987 1,220,903 2,158,513 459,335 2,105,015 963,866 3,782,671 10,690,303 11988 420,719 1,344,994 270,874 1,263,507 501,118 2,132,351 5,933,563 1 Three quarters only.