§ Miss Emma NicholsonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps are being taken by his Department to ensure that blue-ear disease in pigs is kept out of the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Maclean[pursuant to his reply, 25 April 1991, c. 554]: The history of blue-eared pig disease. Blue-eared pig disease has been diagnosed in Germany, the Nertherlands, Belgium and Spain and it appears that a similar condition has occurred in North America in recent years. Experience on the mainland of Europe is that the disease lasts for four to eight weeks in affected herds. The symptoms are by no means consistent—only a few affected animals show blue ears, for example. The first signs may be high temperatures and pigs off their food. A mild influenza-like illness may be seen in all ages of pigs on the premises. Sometimes blue discolouration of extremities such as ears, teats, vulva and backs of legs occurs. A consistent feature of the disease is an increase in the level of abortions that would normally be expected and in still births in pregnant sows. Those piglets which survive show laboured breathing, diarrhoea and other symptoms and up 667W to 40 per cent. or more may die within the first two weeks of life. Deaths among adult pigs are very low and infected sows normally recover.
Spread of disease has been associated mainly with the movement of breeding pigs but airborne spread may also occur. The Dutch central veterinary institute announced recently that it had isolated a virus that causes the disease.
In the Community, the disease first occurred in Germany in November 1990, although it was not reported until 16 February. Since 1 March the Community rules on trade in pigs (which require that all pigs traded between member states should be subject to veterinary inspection and health certification) have been supplemented by additional measures and trade safeguards in response to the disease. These include a prohibition on the export to other member states of any pigs from infected holdings and of pigs for breeding or fattening from municipalities where disease is present or has recently occurred. In practice the United Kingdom does not import pigs from any of the infected countries.
Britain's precautionary action. Last year, the British Government took powers to restrict the movement of animals if a new disease was suspected, under the Movement of Animals (Restriction) Order 1990 as amended. These powers enabled us to be quicker in our reactions to any disease threat than previously, and indeed quicker than other members of the European Community.
Suspicious symptoms were first reported to the veterinary investigation service on 16 May. On investigation the symptoms appeared significantly different from those found elsewhere in Europe, but nevertheless precautionary restrictions were imposed on the premises concerned on 20 May. To date, 12 premises have been placed under restriction for the same reason, all in the Humberside area apart from one in county Durham.
The restrictions that have been imposed since suspicious symptoms first appeared are more stringent than those required by Community rules for the control of blue-eared pig disease and more stringent than those imposed in the Community countries where the disease is established. All movements of pigs off premises where disease is suspected are subject to licence by a veterinary inspector. No such movements have so far been licensed except for movements direct to a slaughterhouse. If severe overcrowding were to occur on a suspect farm, growing pigs might have to be moved off. Such movements would be only to a non-breeding farm already situated in an infected area and not situated adjacent to a breeding unit, and the receiving farm would be placed under restriction as soon as the movement took place.
In addition, farms in the areas surrounding those where disease is suspected have been put under restriction too. In these areas licences have been issued allowing movement of pigs direct to a slaughterhouse. The movement of growing pigs to fattening units in Humberside has also been licensed subject to there being no breeding stock on the receiving premises, nor any breeding unit adjoining the receiving premises.
Blue-eared pig disease confirmed. Yesterday evening (12 June), a Dutch veterinary laboratory using the only known diagnostic test sent us results which showed that blue-eared pig disease had indeed spread to the United Kingdom. The very early action that we have taken under our existing range of measures has meant that we already have in place restrictions which are significantly tougher than those employed on the continent. Now that we have 668W a positive identification of the disease, these measures will be made specific under the Blue-Eared Pig Disease Order 1991, which I have already signed, and which came into force at 12.01 pm today. The new order will confirm measures we have already taken which enable movement restrictions to be imposed or maintained on infected premises and areas. In addition, the order
enables movement restrictions to be imposed on premises which have received animals from premises where infection exists;lays down requirements about the destruction of infected material;lays down requirements about the cleansing and disinfection of premises.Finally, the disease will now be notifiable, which clearly it could not have been until it was properly diagnosed by yesterday's results. As no test for the disease is generally available, and as a wide range of symptoms can occur, the Ministry will be publishing guidance to farmers and veterinary surgeons on the signs giving rise to suspicions.
Limiting the spread. All the steps we have taken were designed to limit the disease to the maximum extent possible. We have been in close touch with our Community partners who also have the disease, and they have cooperated fully with us. Even so, none of us have sufficient information to know fully how the disease is spread. We cannot guarantee therefore that any particular measure will be successful in preventing its communication. Nonetheless, it must be sensible to take those steps which are most likely to make a difference, and it would be irresponsible not to try to protect those areas of the country where it has not occurred, if at all possible. It seems clear that one factor which does lead to the spread of disease is the movement of breeding pigs. Following discussion with the pig industry I therefore intend to use the powers under the new order to define a large restricted zone. This will not be easy for the industry in the parts of the country which will be covered, but in discussions today their representatives have made it clear that they support the Government's determination to prevent the spread of disease. This zone will embrace all the infected farms in Humberside, and a wide area around them bounded by a line running roughly from Cleethorpes through Lincoln, Doncaster, York and Scarborough. The movement of pigs out of this zone will be permitted only when going direct for slaughter. Pigs from farms where infection is not suspected or confirmed may, however, move freely within the zone.
As I have already indicated, it is by no means certain that this measure will succeed in curtailing the disease. Our policy will therefore need to be kept under close review, in discussion with the industry.
Blue-eared pig disease has important economic effects upon individual producers, but it is exclusively an animal health problem and there are no implications for human health.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether pigs from areas of the United Kingdom which are not under movement restrictions are able to be exported to other EC and non-EC countries; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerProvided that pigs meet the conditions of Directive 64/432 and the conditions set out in the appropriate Community decision 91/237 they can be exported to other member states. Commission decision 91/237 lays down conditions for breeding and production 669W pigs from farms and municipalities under restriction. Exports to non-EC countries would need to meet the conditions laid down by those countries.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement on the causes of blue-ear disease; and whether he has eliminated the possibilities of(a) a virus, (b) a bacteria and (c) chemical contamination;
(2) whether he will make blue-ear disease notifiable;
(3) what evidence he has on the means of transmission of blue-ear disease; and if he will make a statement;
(4) what inspections are carried out by his Ministry on the health of pigs which are imported and exported to and from the United Kingdom to ensure that they are free of blue-ear disease and other diseases; and if he will make a statement;
(5) what information he has concerning the infectious nature of blue-ear disease; and if he will make a statement;
(6) on what date he first knew about the problems of blue-ear disease in pigs in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) in other EC countries; and if he will make a statement;
(7) what controls and regulations exist on the import and export of pigs between EC member states where blue-ear disease has been found; and if he will make a statement;
(8) how many man hours have been devoted by his Ministry to the investigation of the cause of blue-ear disease; and if he will make a statement;
(9) if he will list (a) the numbers of farmers and (b) the numbers of pigs under movement restrictions as a result of blue-ear disease to date on a county by county basis; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerI refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to my hon. Friend the Member for Torridge and Devon, West (Miss Nicholson) earlier today.