HC Deb 23 October 2001 vol 373 cc163-5W
David Maclean

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the last case was of foot and mouth disease in the Longtown area; and when restrictions on farms in that area will be lifted. [5346]

Mr. Morley

The last confirmed case in the Longtown area of foot and mouth was 4 June. Infected Area restrictions were removed from the Longtown area with effect from midnight on 8 October.

Mr. Sayeed

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Government's latest assessment is of the necessity to use vaccination in efforts to eradicate foot and mouth disease. [7845]

Mr. Morley

The current advice of the Chief Scientific Adviser and Chief Veterinary Officer is that the use of vaccination is not the most appropriate measure to eradicate the disease in present circumstances. The number of new cases continues to decline, and as at 18 October there have been no cases since 30 September. The use of vaccination could be reassessed if the disease trend changed significantly.

Mr. Peter Ainsworth

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many businesses have(a) applied for and (b) received rates relief in relation to the economic impact of foot and mouth disease. [7873]

Margaret Beckett

[holding answer 15 October 2001]: Full information on the level of take up of hardship rate relief will not be available until local authorities submit their claims next year. However, the latest survey carried out by the Local Government Association shows that, as of 8 October, nearly 6,500 businesses have applied for hardship rate relief with nearly 3,000 of these applications being granted and just over 350 being rejected (data from the 127 local authorities that supplied all sets of information).

Mr. Beith

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if the removal of toxic ash from the Hernscott Hill foot and mouth incineration site in Northumberland has been completed; and what arrangements for monitoring of the site and consultation with local residents have been made. [7446]

Mr. Morley

[holding answer 15 October 2001]: All visible ash has been removed from Hernscott Hill, Widdrington. Monitoring arrangements are in hand in co-operation with Castle Morpeth borough council and the private landowner to ensure that should there be any residues these are detected and removed. Regular meetings are held between DEFRA, local authorities and residents to hear residents' concerns and to appraise them in broad terms of activity on the site. The site will be returned to its original state, following agreement between DEFRA and the private landowner.

Mrs. Ann Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimated cost to public funds of the foot and mouth disease outbreak is so far. [7730]

Mr. Morley

Expenditure on the foot and mouth disease outbreak by my Department currently stands at some £1.531 billion. Costings are being collected from other Government Departments, and we hope to be in a position to be able to provide such information soon.

Mr. Wiggin

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if she will take steps to reduce the time taken to lift the D notice restrictions; [6667]

(2) if she will take steps to ensure that restrictions in protection zones in which all blood tests have proved negative are lifted immediately following inspections. [6666]

Mr. Morley

Our primary objective is to eradicate the disease. However, every effort is made to lift the three kilometre zones (the protection zones) as soon as possible after the fieldwork has been completed and negative blood tests have been confirmed.

Where there are a number of infected premises in an area and protection zones overlap then it may be necessary to carry out all the testing required within a particular cluster of protection zones before any Form D restrictions can be lifted.

Mr. Sayeed

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations have been made to the Governments of other countries which have suffered a foot and mouth outbreak in the last five years. [7761]

Mr. Morley

UK officials regularly discuss such matters with veterinary experts of other countries at the European Union Standing Veterinary Committee, the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the Office International Des Epizootics.

Mr. Lidington

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the risks concerning the control of foot and mouth disease involved in permitting a resumption of hunting with hounds. [9197]

Alun Michael

[holding answer 22 October 2001]: Hunting with dogs is currently prohibited throughout England and Wales as a precaution against the spread of foot and mouth disease. Hunting with dogs takes a variety of forms, all of which pose different levels of foot and mouth disease risk and which therefore require different risk management measures. A veterinary risk assessment on the possible resumption of hunting in foot and mouth disease free counties has been prepared and is currently being considered by Ministers.