§ Mr. LevittTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish figures to show the incidence of BSE(a) in mainland Britain and (b) in the Channel Islands among (i) Jersey cows and (ii) other breeds. [12764]
§ Mr. RookerThe number of confirmed cases of BSE in Jersey and non-Jersey cattle in Great Britain as at 21 October 1997 are as follows:
Number Jersey 1,472 Jersey cross breeds 147 Non-Jersey 167,640 Total 169,259 These figures include cases reported before the 1988 BSE order.
Channel Islands authorities compile their own BSE statistics, which they supply to MAFF. My Department receives only cumulative figures of confirmed cases, the most recent being:
708W
Number As at Jersey 132 10 October 1997 Guernsey 648 19 October 1997 Alderney 2 26 June 1995 For logistical reasons not all suspects slaughtered on Guernsey have been subjected to laboratory confirmation of disease. Some have been confirmed solely on the basis of clinical signs.
§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will instigate a new public inquiry into the BSE affair. [12967]
§ Mr. RookerThe Government are considering the question of a public inquiry into BSE very carefully and will make an announcement when they have reached a conclusion.