HC Deb 06 March 1997 vol 291 cc745-6W
28. Mr. Whittingdale

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many confirmed cases of BSE have been recorded so far this year; and if he will make a statement on trends in the number of cases. [17573]

Mr. Baldry

As at 21 February 1997, of the 891 cases placed under restriction in Great Britain in 1997, 72 had been confirmed. Throughout the epidemic there has been a delay between slaughter and eventual confirmation due to the requirement to permit fixation of brain tissue prior to its examination. The BSE epidemic has continued to decline markedly during the last year and is now at its lowest level for eight years.

Dr. Strang

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the methods of disposal that are(a) permitted and (b) currently in operation for (i) specified bovine material and (ii) non-specified bovine material from cattle with bovine spongiform encephalopathy, including the condensate and washwater produced from rendering of such material. [18696]

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The carcases of virtually all BSE-suspect animals are incinerated: in 1996, 9,643 carcases were incinerated and three buried. No material from BSE suspects is allowed to go for rendering.

Dr. Strang

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the number of carcases of cattle with bovine spongiform encephalopathy that was buried in each site for each year from 1986. [18697]

Mr. Hogg

It is not possible to provide details of the number of BSE-suspect carcases disposed of at specific landfill site, as a complete set of records is not held centrally. A complete record could be provided only at disproportionate cost. It is however known that the total number of BSE-suspect cases disposed of by landfill is approximately 6,120. This figure represents approximately 3 per cent. of the total number of BSE suspects slaughtered.