HL Deb 24 April 1996 vol 571 cc99-100WA
Lord Carter

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What was the saving to public funds incurred by paying 50 per cent. compensation on BSE-infected cattle before 1990; and what has been the further saving incurred since the reduction of compensation in 1994.

Lord Lucas

If compensation had been paid at 100 per cent. prior to February 1990 it is estimated that the Government would have incurred an increase in compensation payments of somewhere in the order of £3.5 million.

Farmers receive the market value of their animals slaughtered as BSE suspects, up to a ceiling. The calculation of the maximum compensation rate for BSE suspect animals was changed with effect from 1st April 1994 to better reflect the age structure of the cattle population succumbing to the disease and so match market values more accurately. Had the previous method of calculation been used in the period 1st April 1994 to 31st March 1996 then expenditure on BSE compensation could have been up to £4.25 million higher, depending on the market value of the animals

1994 1995 1996
Production 2nd quarter 3rd quarter 4th quarter 1st quarter 2nd quarter 3rd quarter 4th quarter 1st quarter
type percentage percentage percentage percentage percentage percentage percentage percentage
Unknown 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2
Dairy 79 81 79 78 79 81 77 78
Mixed 6 6 6 6 6 5 6 6
Beef 14 12 14 15 14 12 15 14

killed. There is no evidence that either of these changes has resulted in any under-reporting of BSE suspects.