Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Hansard, 30 April 1990)

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much he has either spent or allocated on bovine spongiform encephalopathy(a) research or (b) compensation for each year from 1985 to 1992 in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Gummer
Expenditure on BSE research to date is as follows:

Financial year Expenditure

£

1988–89 454,000

1989–90 922,000

The Ministry recently announced a £6.1 million programme of research on BSE, following the recommendations of Dr. Tyrrell's research consultative committee as follows:

Financial year Forecast

£ million

1990–91 2.2

1991–92 2.2

1992–93 1.7

In addition, the Department of Education and Science will be committing £6.3 million to slow virus research over the next three years.
Expenditure on compensation since the introduction of the compulsory slaughter policy in August 1988 is as follows:

Financial year Expenditure

£

1988–89 1,066,613

1989–90 2,127,654

The forecast expenditure on compensation contained in the 1989 public expenditure survey is as follows:

Financial year Forecast

£

1990–91 3,381,300

1991–92 3,482,739

1992–93 3,569,807

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what tests he has carried out for the presence of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy agent on(a) blood, (b) saliva, (c) urine, (d) faeces and (e) semen in cattle which are suspected of having bovine spongiform encephalopathy; and if he will make the results public;
(2) what tests he has carried out for the presence of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy agent on (a) blood, (b) saliva, (c) urine, (d) faeces and (e) semen in cattle; and if he will make those results public.

§ Mr. Gummer
Research is in progress to determine whether the BSE agent is present in the blood and semen 457W of confirmed cases of BSE. Further studies are planned which will determine the infectivity of gut, kidney and salivary gland from confirmed cases. No experiments are being conducted using material derived from clinically healthy cattle.
I shall follow our general policy of publishing the results of the research that we fund.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 23 April,Official Report, column 86, to the hon. Member for South Shields, how many of the notified cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy-infected cattle were later confirmed as having the disease in each week end 5 January to 13 April.

§ Mr. Gummer
Results are not yet complete but the information requested to date is as follows:

Week ending Number notified Number confirmed Still alive or awaiting diagnosis

5 January 1990 245 201 18

12 January 1990 292 258 4

19 January 1990 284 234 14

26 January 1990 294 242 19

2 February 1990 309 250 22

9 February 1990 329 270 23

16 February 1990 362 297 29

23 February 1990 367 276 61

2 March 1990 424 249 160

9 March 1990 393 123 260

16 March 1990 392 54 335

23 March 1990 351 8 343

30 March 1990 329 3 326

6 April 1990 323 0 323

13 April 1990 278 0 278

Financial year	Forecast
	£ million
1990–91	2.2
1991–92	2.2
1992–93	1.7

Financial year	Expenditure
	£
1988–89	1,066,613
1989–90	2,127,654

Week ending	Number notified	Number confirmed	Still alive or awaiting diagnosis
5 January 1990	245	201	18
12 January 1990	292	258	4
19 January 1990	284	234	14
26 January 1990	294	242	19
2 February 1990	309	250	22
9 February 1990	329	270	23
16 February 1990	362	297	29
23 February 1990	367	276	61
2 March 1990	424	249	160
9 March 1990	393	123	260
16 March 1990	392	54	335
23 March 1990	351	8	343
30 March 1990	329	3	326
6 April 1990	323	0	323
13 April 1990	278	0	278