HL Deb 16 February 2000 vol 609 cc155-6WA
The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 18 January 1995 (WA 42) and Lord Lucas on 8 February 1996 (WA 577), what progress is being made with the three research and development projects being funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food into alternative treatments for sheep scab, including immunological and non-chemical control, and what has been the cost of these projects to date. [HL966]

The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Hayman)

The Government have funded work since 1996 to explore non-chemical methods as alternative approaches to sheep scab control. This programme is based on findings from earlier published work funded by MAFF at the Royal Veterinary College. The earlier results showed evidence for an immune response in the blood of sheep affected with sheep scab mites. To determine the significance of this finding and to investigate the various biological process involved, funding was provided for a four-year collaborative research programme at £350,000 to £400,000 per annum. The results of these studies in 1999 show that the approach to the immunological control of sheep scab is complex and requires an understanding of a number of key elements if a vaccine is to be developed. A new three-year programme with funding continuing at £350,000 to £400,000 per annum has been approved which will focus on these key elements.

The overall sheep scab research programme since 1996 has included studies on the factors influencing the spread of sheep scab, factors associated with infestation and those involved in the development of clincial disease. A report on the studies dated August 1999 is available from MAFF Chief Scientist's Group. This work has also shown that there may be some potential for the control of sheep scab by the use of a natural fungus that infects the mites. Further work to investigate the potential of this approach is built into the new three-year programme.

The total funding spent on sheep scab research by my department in recent years is as follows:

Financial Year £
1996–97 458,563
1997–98 550,454
1998–99 572,130
1999–2000 489,863
2000–01 442,009