HC Deb 30 November 2001 vol 375 cc1175-6W
Mr. Edwards

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many applications she has received for interest for late payment of foot and mouth compensation. [18643]

Mr. Morley

The Department's foot and mouth disease claims unit has received 307 claims for interest on delayed compensation payments.

Mr. Swire

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made about when Devon will be given disease free status from foot and mouth. [18332]

Mr. Morley

Devon attained FMD free status on 27 November once all outstanding serological testing had been completed.

Mr. Edwards

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will pay interest for the late payment of foot and mouth compensation to Mr. Whittal Williams, a constituent. [18642]

Mr. Morley

There is no obligation on the Department to pay statutory compensation within a specific time limit or to pay interest on delayed compensation payments. At the outset of the disease we had an aim in mind for the time it would take us to make payments, but the enormous scale of the outbreaks and the pressing need to deal with them as quickly as possible so as to eradicate the disease meant that our priority was to focus available resources on achieving that objective. We were therefore unfortunately not always successful in meeting our goal for making payments.

The Department apologises for the inconvenience caused by any delay on its part but interest will not be paid on compensation payments.

Mr. Whittal Williams' claim for interest was referred to the Department by his National Farmers Union representative and an official reply was sent on 3 October.

Mr. Luff

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the methods used to control the foot and mouth epidemic in Mongolia and of the lessons for the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement. [17462]

Mr. Morley

FMD is endemic in parts of Asia, Africa, the middle east and south America. The Department has not made any specific assessment of the outbreak in Mongolia.

Patrick Mercer

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what further measures the Government plan to ensure a rapid ban on livestock movement should another outbreak of foot and mouth take place. [18066]

Mr. Morley

In the event of a new outbreak of foot and mouth disease, local movement restrictions would be imposed as soon as disease is suspected. The introduction of national movement restrictions would be based on veterinary advice as to risks posed to the wider livestock industry.