§ Lord Rees-Moggasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether delays between the decision to cull healthy sheep and their being culled have been caused by difficulty in finding adequate burial sites; and what are the responsibilities of the Environment Agency in this regard. [HL1632]
§ Baroness HaymanWe assume that the noble Lord is referring to the 3km cull policy in Cumbria, which involves culling sheep and pigs within 3km of an infected premises.
Due to the weight of infection in this area, we believe that these animals have been exposed to infection and may be incubating the disease. The strain of foot and mouth disease in this outbreak is highly virulent, and a single infected animal is able to infect a large number of others. The pre-emptive cull was therefore vital to control the disease in this area.
We are not aware of any case in which the need to find burial sites, or other forms of disposal, has resulted in a delay between the decision to cull sheep and their being culled.
The Environment Agency has been advising on the suitability of sites for burial, taking account of the need to avoid risks to the environment, particularly where this may have the potential to impact on public health.