§ Mr. TylerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to publish the results of the research projects into(a) alternatives to organophosphate sheep dips for the control of scab, with the aim of producing a vaccine and (b) the factors that influence the spread of sheep scab. [109531]
§ Ms Quin[holding answer 11 February 2000]: Following earlier published work funded at the Royal Veterinary College, my Department has since 1996 been funding projects to explore non-chemical methods as alternative approaches to sheep scab control. The issues involved are complex but not intractable. The programme is focusing on the possible immunological basis for control methods as well as the means of measuring the effectiveness of potential vaccines. The projects which also include sheep welfare are ongoing and funding is being continued at £450,000 a year for a further three years. Some work of a basic nature has been published but the key results of this work will be available at the end of that period or earlier depending on progress.