§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the procedures used in the current survey into sheep brains as discussed by SEAC on 9 November 1998; and if he will list how many have(a) been tested to date and (b) found to be diseased due to (i) sheep scrapie or (ii) BSE-like illness. [66502]
§ Mr. RookerIn May 1997, SEAC recommended an abattoir survey of sheeps' brains to determine the likely exposure of the human population to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in sheep submitted for slaughter. Sampling of material took place between August 1997 and August 1998 from almost 3,000 sheep selected at random from approximately 130 abattoirs throughout Great Britain. Tests have been carried out using histological, scrapie associated fibril (SAF), and immunocytochemical examinations. The preliminary findings are inconclusive with no cases of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy definitely confirmed. SEAC received a preliminary report in November 1998 but have not yet scheduled a substantive discussion on it. Further examination of brains and tonsils collected are expected to commence shortly. These tests will not differentiate whether the brains from the abattoir survey will have BSE or scrapie.
93WCurrently, the only way of definitively differentiating BSE from scrapie involves testing suspect material in a panel of specially bred mice and observing the characteristics of any disease that develops. It takes 1–2 years for them to succumb to a disease, if they are incubating BSE, and longer if they are not. Two research projects are underway to examine clinical scrapie cases using this method. No cases of BSE have been found in any of the sheep from the national flock tested so far in this assay.
At their meeting on 9 November, SEAC discussed a draft report from their sheep sub-group which had been looking at research and surveillance for TSEs in sheep. A further draft is being prepared by the sub-group. It is expected that the final report will indicate the priority of recommendations for further work. This was explained by the Chairman of SEAC, Professor Sir John Pattison, at a press conference on 30 November 1998 when the public summary of the November meeting was issued.
§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the changes in(a) compensation levels, (b) legal requirements and (c) administrative procedures in the reporting and confirmation of sheep scrapie in the last 10 years. [66501]
§ Mr. Rooker(a) The rates since the payment of compensation was introduced in July 1998 are:
£ July 1998 24.51 August 1998 25.34 September 1998 23.87 October 1998 19.54 November 1998 15.53 December 1998 15.41 January 1999 12.72 The compensation rate is equal to the average cull ewe price collected the calendar month two months before actual slaughter. It is a variable figure calculated monthly using prices collected from the Meat and Livestock Commission Weekly Market Survey. If an animal is clinically diagnosed by a Veterinary Officer as affected by scrapie, but this cannot be confirmed by laboratory diagnosis, owners may then be eligible to receive a greater payment, not exceeding £400, subject to documentary evidence of the animal's value.
(b) Scrapie was made a notifiable disease in the EC on 1 January 1993 by Council Directive 91/68 on animal health conditions governing intra-Community trade in ovine and caprine animals. This was implemented by The Specified Diseases (Notification) Order 1991, as amended by The Specified Diseases (Notification and Slaughter) Order 1992. Surveillance requirements including the compulsory slaughter of suspect animals were laid down in Commission Decision 98/272. With effect from 29 July 1998 requirements for the compulsory slaughter of suspect 94W animals, veterinary investigations, and the payment of compensation respectively, were laid down in the following SIs:
- The Sheep and Goats Spongiform Encephalopathy Order 1998 (SI 1998/1645);
- The Sheep and Goats Spongiform Encephalopathy Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/1646);
- The Sheep and Goats Spongiform Encephalopathy (Compensation) Order 1998 (SI 1998/1647).
(c) Since 1 January 1993 owners of animals suspected of having scrapie have been required to notify the relevant Agriculture Department. If a clinical diagnosis of scrapie was made by a veterinary officer a movement restriction notice was served to prevent the movement of the suspect animal off the premises. Once the animal had died, or was slaughtered with the owner's agreement, the head was submitted to a veterinary investigation centre (VIC) for laboratory confirmation of scrapie. This was on the basis of examination of the brain material either by histological examination or by electron microscopy examination for scrapie associated fibrils at the Veterinary Laboratory Agency.
Although scrapie has been notifiable since 1993, not all cases were submitted for laboratory confirmation. From 1 January 1993 to 3 July 1996, in general, only the first case reported and subsequently confirmed on a holding in a 2 year period was sent for laboratory examination. Second and subsequent diagnoses were made on clinical grounds only. There were 75 of these between 1993 and 1996. These have been included in statistics as confirmed cases.
With the implementation of above mentioned SIs the slaughter of animals suspected of being clinically affected by scrapie is now compulsory. All suspect animals are slaughtered at a VIC (unless the animal is unfit to travel from the farm) who remove the tissues required for disease confirmation, and arrange for the carcase to be incinerated. Compensation is payable at the time of slaughter. A veterinary officer will complete an epidemiological investigation on farm on confirmation of disease on new premises.
§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many reported and confirmed cases of sheep scrapie there were in the United Kingdom in each year from 1989 to 1998. [66500]
§ Mr. RookerScrapie was made a notifiable disease in Great Britain on 1 January 1993 and in Northern Ireland on 31 December 1992.
The number of cases notified since 1993 is given in the following table for Great Britain only. Equivalent data is not available for Northern Ireland.
95W
Year Cases reported 1993 494 1994 327 1995 311 1996 549 1997 595 1998 1602 1 1998 data is provisional—data as at 13.1.99 Before 1993, notification was voluntary and of those reported, only confirmed cases were recorded. Cases confirmed by laboratory analysis for whole period 1989 to 1998 are given in the following table:
Year Great Britain Northern Ireland Total UK 1989 252 7 259 1990 347 8 355 1991 906 0 906 1992 595 5 600 1993 306 4 310 1994 210 5 215 1995 232 2 234 1996 453 8 461 1997 508 1 509 1998 1417 1 1418 1 1998 data is provisional—data as at 13.1.99