HC Deb 24 June 1997 vol 296 cc509-10W
Mr. Dawson

To ask the Ministers of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) when the Environment Agency investigations into landfill sites which have accommodated BSE waste will be(a) completed (b) published; [2828]

(2) when the Spongiform Encephalitis Advisory Committee will report on safe ways of disposing of BSE-infected material; and when that report will be published. [2829]

Mr. Rooker

The Environment Agency's assessment of landfill sites which took cattle affected, or suspected of being affected, with BSE before sufficient carcase incineration capacity came on stream in 1991 to process the number of cases that were coming forward is now completed.

The Agency is considering how best to publish the assessment, and related work, and aims to do so shortly. The Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) has noted the methodology used by the Environment Agency in assessing the various disposal routes for cattle derived waste and is content with the conclusions of the reports.