§ Mr. McCuskerTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of the 13 confirmed cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in Northern Ireland have been in dairy cows; and how many have been in beef cattle.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyThere have been 15 confirmed cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in Northern Ireland, the most recent being confirmed on 18 July.
All the animals affected were cows belonging to dairy breeds and all originated in dairy herds. By the time of diagnosis, two of these cows had been transferred to suckler herds used to raise calves for beef production.