§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of man hours spent on blue-ear pig disease at each of the veterinary investigation centres; and what findings have so far been established.
§ Mr. MacleanIt has not been necessary for veterinary investigation centres to make a substantial input to measures for dealing with the disease since it became notifiable on 13 June. However, the staff hours spent on blue-eared pig disease at each of the veterinary investigation centers since the first occurrence of suspicious symptoms to the end of September was as follows:
Centre Hours Newcastle 16.00 Thirsk 12.50 Norwich 37.00 Preston 20.00 Worcester 3.50 Bangor 3.00 Aberystwyth 3.00 Truro 4.00 Winchester 27.00 Reading 13.50 Penrith 3.00 Cambridge 3.00 Lincoln 103.00 Shrewsbury 2.00 Sutton Bonington 2.00 Carmarthen 2.00 Starcross 7.50 Bristol 11.00 Wye 3.00 The key research work has been carried out by the Central Veterinary Laboratory. For the findings I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Torridge and Devon, West (Miss Nicholson) on 16 October, Official Report column 153.