§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on research into vaccines to counteract(a) bovine spongiform encephalopathy and (b) bovine tuberculosis. [139284]
§ Ms QuinMAFF is not currently funding any research into the development of vaccines to counteract bovine spongiform encephalopathy. MAFF is willing to consider any research project to develop a vaccine for TSEs providing that the usual conditions of the applicant having suitable facilities to perform the research are met. TSEs are unusual diseases in that it has not been possible to identify a clear immune response to infection. Vaccines rely on priming the immune system to enhance this response and so prevent the disease. The agent which causes TSE is difficult to inactivate and again most vaccines use an inactivated form of an agent safely to produce immunity. There would be concern in using the `live' TSE agent as this may produce either disease, or carriers for the disease, rather than immunity.
Following the recommendations of the Krebs report, MAFF is funding research into developing vaccines for bovine tuberculosis at a cost of £1.4 million annually. The development of suitable vaccines for use in either cattle 401W or badgers is an important element of the Government's strategy for tackling the disease. UK researchers involved in MAFF-funded TB vaccine projects are working in collaboration with experts internationally. Candidate vaccines which could be used in either cattle or wildlife are being developed and tested, and improved diagnostic tests are also under investigation. However, it may be some years before the scientific, practical and legal issues involved in developing a successful vaccine for bovine tuberculosis can be addressed.