HC Deb 08 March 2001 vol 364 cc338-9W
17. Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken to ensure that scientific advice to Ministers relating to BSE is placed in the public domain. [151403]

Ms Quin

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Wirral, South (Mr. Chapman) on 1 February 2001,Official Report, column 290W.

24. Dr. Gibson

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what investment he has made into research for a diagnostic test for BSE. [151410]

Ms Quin

Since 1992 my Department has spent £17.7 million on research projects on producing diagnostic tests for TSEs. This includes work on background science which may lead to the development of a new test, collaborative work in which the approaches of scientists overseas are being further developed and evaluated, and the production and collection of tissues from animals infected with TSEs for use by researchers who are developing diagnostic tests.

Mr. Paice

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many(a) contracts have been let, (b) different contractors have been let contracts and (c) contracts have been withdrawn by the Government for the disposal of rendered specified risk material and over-30-months scheme material. [152070]

Ms Quin

[holding answer 5 March 2001]: Four contracts have been let to three contractors (Fibrogen Ltd., Prosper de Mulder Ltd. and Shanks Chemical Services Ltd. (two)) to burn meat and bone meal (MBM) arising from the rendering of material, including SRM from the OTMS. None have been withdrawn.

Mr. Paice

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the total UK stocks of rendered specified risk material and over-thirty-months scheme material were on(a) 1 May 1997, (b) 1 January 1998, (c) 1 January 1999, (d) 1 January 2000 and (e) 1 January 2001; and how much was disposed of, and by what method, in the years (i) 1998, (ii) 1999, and (iii) 2000. [152068]

Ms Quin

[holding answer 5 March 2001]: The total UK stocks of rendered OTMS material (which includes SRM from over thirty month cattle) on the dates in question were as follows:

£ million
1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000
UK EU UK EU UK EU UK EU
UK slaughter programmes:
BSE suspected/confirmed cases compensation 5 0 3 0 2 0 1 0
Calf slaughter scheme 51 0 53 0 51 0 10 —
OTMS 205 469 86 202 79 185 79.5 185.5
Selective cull1 0 0 115 0 19 0 1 0
Total excluding1 261 469 142 202 132 185 90.5 185.5
Additional EU compensation:
Suckler cow premium 31 46 3 4 0 0 0 0
Beef special premium 17 26 -3 -4 0 0 0 0
Beef marketing payment 23 35 0 0 0 0 0 0
Veal marketing payment 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Promotion 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0
Total 71 107 1 2 0 0 0 0
Gross total excluding1 332 576 143 204 132 185 90.5 185.5
1 Not possible to provide the EU/UK split in given time

Note:

Final figures for 2000–2001 not available