§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what research published after 1990 he has evaluated into the effects of the disposing of BSE infected carcases in landfill sites; [20525]
718W
BSE-related measures £ million 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 (a) OTMS: compensation to farmers UK cost 687 228 229 230 Net EU contribution 154 137 -4 40 (b) OTMS: payments to slaughterhouses UK cost 79 32 32 32 (c) OTMS: payments to renderers UK cost 53 39 39 39 (d) OTMS: cost of storage UK cost 34 5 2 2 (e) OTMS: cost of incineration UK cost 10 45 32 22 (f) Calf slaughter premium UK cost 54 62 61 60 Net EU contribution 28 -10 13 38 (g) Aid for renderers UK cost 88 71 — — (h) and (i) Aid to abattoirs and cutting industries UK cost 94 2 — — (j) Feed recall scheme UK cost 5 1 — — (k) Departments' administration costs UK cost 71 71 70 69 (I) Selective cull UK costs 20 165 — — Net EU contribution — 68 -45 — (2) what discussions he has had with scientific bodies on the disposal of BSE-infected carcases to landfill sites. [20524]
§ Mrs. BrowningIn May last year a sub-group of the independent Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee, which advises Ministers on BSE, considered the issue of BSE and the environment, including the question of disposal to landfill sites. They considered that, although the spongiform encephalopathy agent was not yet fully characterised, there was good evidence to believe that individual molecules were not infectious and that infectivity was associated with macro-molecular agglomerations indeed possibly with tissue fragments, albeit small ones. On this basis they concluded that
it was unlikely that leachate from landfill sites would present a significant risk and there was certainly no justification for taking heroic measures to excavate sites, even those which had previously been used for material such as BSE-confirmed cattle".
§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the estimated cost to Government for each financial year from 1996–97 to 1999–2000 of(a) the compensation arrangements to farmers for cattle over 30 months of age which cannot now enter the food chain, (b) the payments to slaughterhouses for handling cattle over 30 months of age which cannot now enter the food chain, (c) payments to renderers for handling cattle over 30 months of age which cannot now enter the food chain, (d) the cost of storage, prior to incineration, of the rendered remains of cattle over 30 months of age which cannot now enter the food chain, (e) the cost of incineration of the remains of cattle of 30 months of age which cannot now enter the food chain, (f) the calf slaughter premium, (g) the package of aid for the renderers, (h) the package of aid for the abattoirs, (i) the package of aid to the cutting industries, (j) the feed recall scheme, (k) the additional running costs for the agriculture departments and (l) each other item of expenditure resulting from the BSE crisis; and if he will list where applicable the net EU contribution for each measure, taking account of both the United Kingdom's contribution to additional EU spending and the effect of additional receipts on the United Kingdom abatement. [18670]
§ Mr. Douglas Hogg[holding answer 6 March 1997]: Details requested are as follows:
719W
BSE-related measures £ million 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 (m) Discretionary intervention UK cost 175 178 153 91 Net EU contribution -33 -2 40 16 (n) Additional EU compensation agreed at agriculture council UK cost 163 — — — Net EU contribution -41 67 -29 — (o) Drop in beef export refunds UK cost -80 -74 -57 -57 Net EU contribution -80 -74 -57 -57 (p) Write-off of existing intervention stock UK cost 2 12 — — Net EU contribution — 8 -6 — (q) Other items UK cost 50 93 2 — Total UK cost 1,505 930 563 488 Net EU contribution 28 194 -88 37
§ Mrs. Helen JacksonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the minimum temperature required(a) of the external gases and (b) inside a carcase for the safe disposal of a cattle carcase slaughtered under the over-30-months scheme. [20810]
§ Mr. BaldryThe independent Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee, which advises Ministers on BSE has looked at current and proposed methods of dealing with waste material from the slaughter of cattle last May, including incineration. The committee concluded that incineration in plants in which temperatures reached at least 850°c, would be sufficient to ensure that there was no risk either to those exposed to the smoke plume—that is, those living in the neighbourhood or those living downwind of the plant—or in relation to the ash which would be safely disposed of in appropriately licensed landfill sites. A copy of the news release issued by this Department on 7 June 1996 to publicise SEAC's advice is in the Library of the House.