Rhizomania Containment Policy

HL Deb 15 February 1999 vol 597 cc65-6WA

The Earl of Iveagh

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the annual cost to the United Kingdom taxpayer of administering the rhizomania containment policy; and whether this represents good value for money. [HL930]

Lord Donoughue

The Agriculture Departments' expenditure on the rhizomania containment policy is around £200,000 per annum. This is about 0.07 per cent. of the value of the UK beet crop. Substantial yield losses occur on the continent as a result of widespread rhizomania infection and recent trials have shown sugar yield reductions of 53 per cent.–75 per cent. for commonly grown varieties on infected land in the UK. The Government believe that a programme to restrict the spread of this disease represents good value for money.