HC Deb 20 June 1990 vol 174 cc620-2W
Mr. Alan W. Williams

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will summarise the research evidence that BSE is not transmissible to pigs.

Mr. Maclean

No naturally occurring sub-acute spongiform encephalopathy has been reported in pigs anywhere in the world. Experimental transmission of kuru to pigs has been attempted but failed to result in disease or a spongiform encephalopathy.

Mr. Alan W. Williams

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many dairy herds there are in Britain; and how many of these have been affected by BSE.

Mr. Maclean

There are nearly 41,000 dairy herds in Britain. Up to 15 June, 5,532 of these had at least one confirmed case of BSE.

Mr. Alan W. Williams

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farms in Britain have experienced (a) one case, (b) two cases,(c) three cases, (d) four to 10 cases and (e) over 10 cases of BSE.

Mr. Maclean

The information up to 15 June is as follows(a) 4,751; (b) 1,428; (c) 594; (d) 769; (e) 62.

Mr. Alan W. Williams

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the number of BSE-affected cows that have entered the human food chain(a) prior to the introduction of compulsory slaughter of suspect animals and (b) since the introduction of compulsory slaughter.

Mr. Maclean

The information is as follows(a) This is not known; (b) none.

Mr. Alan W. Williams

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider introducing regulations requiring the incineration of all beef offal.

Mr. Maclean

I have no plans to do so.

Mr. Alan W. Williams

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether any research work has been carried out to allow pigs that have been fed infected meat and bone meal and cattle offal to live their full natural life span to see whether any develop spongiform encephalopathy.

Mr. Maclean

Experiments to determine whether pigs are susceptible to a scrapie like disease as a result of parenteral or oral exposure to brain from confirmed cases of BSE are in progress. The former has been running since February 1989 and so far no clinical or pathological evidence of a scrapie like disease has resulted. It is intended that these pigs will be kept, subject to welfare considerations, for at least five years.

Mr. Alan W. Williams

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if there is any evidence of hazard arising from the milk of cows with sub-clinical BSE.

Mr. Maclean

There is no evidence and neither is any expected. Scientific studies of natural scrapie have shown that the agent is not found in udder colostrum and milk.

Mr. Alan W. Williams

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what assessment he has made of the possible dangers of feeding offal from cows with sub-clinical BSE to pigs and poultry;

(2) if he will review the practice of feeding beef offal to pigs and poultry.

Mr. Maclean

There is no evidence to suggest that BSE poses any risk to pigs or poultry.

Mr. Alan W. Williams

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the possible danger to vermin and birds from the burial of the carcases of BSE-affected cattle in domestic refuse tips; and whether he will make it his policy to require the incineration of all BSE-affected carcases.

Mr. Maclean

It is the Ministry's intention to secure incineration facilities for all BSE-suspected carcases, although progress towards this goal has been slowed by local opposition to most proposals to build incinerators. Until there is sufficient incineration capacity, a proportion of carcases will continue to be buried in accordance with sound veterinary practice and under the supervision of the state veterinary service. These procedures ensure that there is no risk of spreading the disease through this method of disposal.