HC Deb 05 February 2002 vol 379 cc900-1W
Mr. Wiggin

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the target time is for a response from her Department to a farmer's claim for compensation. [30975]

Mr. Morley

We aim to pay farmers compensation for livestock slaughtered for FMD control within three weeks of receipt of correct documents. At the peak of the outbreak this aim was not met due to the volume of claims being received at the same time.

Mrs. Ann Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the reports produced by the cattle plague commissioners following the outbreak of cattle plague in the 1870s were consulted by officials from her Department and MAFF the former Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food during the 2001 outbreak of foot and mouth disease; and if she will make a statement. [31455]

Mr. Morley

The veterinary and scientific advice that underpins the Government's disease control policies has evolved over many years. While no particular reference has been made during the current outbreak of foot and mouth disease to the recommendations made in the cattle plague reports, many of them are still relevant today and were implemented last year.

Mr. Luff

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on her policy on public access to(a) the Disease Control System Database and (b) the Veterinary Laboratory Agency Foot and Mouth Disease Care Database. [31218]

Mr. Morley

Under the Data Protection Act 1998, any individual, on request, may have access to their personal records held on either the Disease Control System Database and/or the Veterinary Laboratory Agency Foot and Mouth Disease Care database. General public access is not permitted to personal records.