§ Mr. EdwardsTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received about failures to pay slaughter premium on cattle slaughtered during the foot and mouth outbreak. [14001]
§ Mr. MorleySlaughter premium is not payable on cattle slaughtered during the foot and mouth outbreak but if the market value for such animals would have been influenced by expectation of slaughter premium then the valuation for compensation should reflect this. Standard valuations, which operated between 22 March and 29 July, took account of slaughter premium.
The Department will shortly be issuing clarification to interested parties.
§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) on how many premises culling took place of(a) cattle, (b) sheep, (c) pigs and (d) other animals under the (i) infected premises, (ii) dangerous contact, (iii) slaughter on suspicion and (iv) contiguous cull schemes operating during the foot and mouth disease outbreak broken down by (A) county and (B) region; and how many samples were taken and how many positive tests were found at each premises; [16713]
733W(2) how many (a) infected premises and (b) contiguous premises were recorded during the foot and mouth disease outbreak broken down by (i) county and (ii) region; and how many samples were collected in each case. [16714]
§ Margaret BeckettI will place the information requested in the Library of the House today.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what date she intends to disband her Department's teams of foot and mouth disease blood testers operating in the south-west of England; what plans she has to divert foot and mouth disease blood tester personnel and resources to the testing of cattle for bovine tuberculosis in the south-west of England; and if she will make a statement. [18046]
§ Mr. MorleyNo date has been set for disbanding the teams of blood testers for FMD in the south-west of England but as the threat from the disease diminishes there will be less need for testers.
Under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 blood sampling for laboratory testing can be undertaken by paraprofessionals. The TB test can only be carried out by qualified veterinary surgeons who are accredited to the relevant LVI Panel. The number of blood samplers who can be diverted to TB skin testing is minimal. The only other resource that will be required for the restart of TB testing is a sufficient supply of Tuberculin to meet the projected future need.
Date slaughtered Cattle Sheep Pigs Goats Deer Other Total 1 October 2001 0 80 0 0 0 0 80 2 October 2001 0 183 0 0 0 0 183 10 October 2001 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 10 October 2001 5 1,739 0 0 0 0 1,744 10 October 2001 0 57 0 0 0 0 57 11 October 2001 0 25 0 0 0 0 25 11 October 2001 0 141 0 0 0 0 141 13 October 2001 0 100 0 0 0 0 100 17 October 2001 0 387 0 0 0 0 387 18 October 2001 324 0 0 0 0 0 324 24 October 2001 0 131 0 0 0 0 131 24 October 2001 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 26 October 2001 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 27 October 2001 0 247 0 0 0 0 247 30 October 2001 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 31 October 2001 0 80 0 0 0 0 80 1 November 2001 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 10 November 2001 0 128 0 0 0 0 128 10 November 2001 0 129 0 0 0 0 129 10 November 2001 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 10 November 2001 0 57 0 0 0 0 57 10 November 2001 0 178 0 0 0 0 178 10 November 2001 0 50 0 0 0 0 50 13 November 2001 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 20 November 2001 0 60 0 0 0 0 60 21 November 2001 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 27 November 2001 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 27 November 2001 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 27 November 2001 0 8 0 0 0 0 8 6 December 2001 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 10 December 2001 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 Total 330 3,793 0 2 0 0 4,125 Source:
DEFRA Disease Control System Database as at 17.30 12 December 2001. Figures subject to change as more data become available.
734W
§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many temporary veterinary inspectors have written to her about their experiences during the foot and mouth epidemic. [22106]
§ Mr. Morley[holding answer 11 December 2001]: We have no record of letters from temporary veterinary inspectors (TVIs) to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State about their experiences during the foot and mouth outbreak. Some may have written on an individual and personal basis.
§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on how many farms animals have been slaughtered in relation to foot and mouth disease; and how many animals have been slaughtered by type in each case since 30 September. [23259]
§ Margaret Beckett[holding answer 17 December 2001]: As at 17.30, 12 December 2001, 9,578 premises have been affected by foot and mouth disease ie premises which have been classified as an Infected Premises, Dangerous Contact or Slaughter on Suspicion on which slaughter of animals has occurred.
The following table details all slaughterings on foot and mouth disease affected premises since 30 September 2001. There have been no outbreaks since that date; these figures therefore relate to slaughter on suspicion cases or to dangerous contact cases identified by surveillance bleeding.
735W
§ Paul FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reasons animals with foot and mouth disease anti-bodies and no other symptoms of the disease were slaughtered during the foot and mouth outbreak. [24389]
§ Mr. MorleyFoot and mouth disease (FMD) antibodies are not found in healthy livestock in FMD free countries. Their presence indicates that the animal has been exposed to the virus. Such exposed animals could be diseased and infectious or they could be convalescent. It is also possible that a carrier state may develop in some animals which have FMD antibodies whereby the animal can carry the virus for prolonged periods and could possibly cause a recrudescence of disease. This is particularly so in the case of sheep. It is therefore essential that animals with FMD antibodies are promptly culled as part of the control mechanisms in place to eradicate FMD.
§ Mr. LuffTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farms in Worcestershire have not yet been cleaned and disinfected
736W
Table 1: Number of premises infected with foot and mouth disease and number of animals slaughtered on infected premises by constituency Number of animals slaughtered on infected premises Constituency Number of infected premises Cattle Sheep Pigs Goats Deer Other Total Aberavon County 1 416 2 0 0 0 0 418 Banbury County 1 0 537 0 0 0 0 537 Basildon Borough 1 31 0 37 0 0 0 68 Berwick-upon-Tweed County 20 2,954 23,966 13 4 0 0 26,937 Bishop Auckland County 44 4,194 19,481 2,808 13 0 0 26,496 Blyth Valley Borough 1 0 2,000 0 0 0 0 2,000 Bosworth County 4 550 112 6 0 0 0 668 Bradford South Borough 2 155 0 0 0 0 0 155 Braintree County 1 5 493 0 9 0 1 508 Brecon and Radnorshire County 45 2,608 34,243 2 22 0 0 36,875 Brentwood and Ongar County 2 206 0 308 0 0 0 514 Bridgwater County 2 36 55 0 0 0 0 91 Bristol North West Borough 1 0 5 1 8 0 0 14 Bromsbrove County 2 253 83 0 0 0 0 336 Burton County 20 2,354 2,515 62 7 0 0 4,938 Caerphilly County 1 127 363 0 0 0 0 490 Cannock Chase County 2 131 243 0 0 0 0 374 Carlisle Borough 72 17,622 17,953 0 19 0 0 35,594 Chorley County 1 0 988 0 0 0 0 988 City of Durham County 3 410 1,099 0 0 0 0 1,509 Congleton County 2 0 1,961 0 0 0 0 1,961 Copeland County 9 791 7,411 8 1 0 0 8,211 Crewe and Nantwich County 1 158 0 0 0 0 5 163 Cynon Valley County 1 112 994 0 0 0 0 1,106 Devizes County 9 151 2,628 0 2 0 0 2,781 Dover County 2 0 2,446 0 0 0 0 2,446 Dumfries County 137 24,586 64,131 136 155 0 0 89,008 East Devon County 1 125 2,109 0 0 0 0 2,234 Eddisbury County 4 650 1,297 0 0 0 0 1,947 Forest of Dean County 48 2,987 14,121 153 0 0 0 17,261 Galloway and Upper Nithsdale County 39 9,986 22,331 55 0 0 0 32,372 Hereford County 31 3,461 33,019 48 3 0 0 36,531 Hexham County 64 7,603 35,887 524 1 0 0 44,015 Hyndburn Borough 2 5 752 0 0 0 0 777 Islwyn County 1 46 74 0 0 0 0 120 Keighley County 3 263 243 0 0 0 0 506 Lancaster and Wyre County 2 457 49 0 0 0 0 506 Leigh County 1 47 0 0 0 0 0 47 Leominster County 13 947 5,456 4 0 0 0 6,407 Lichfield County 6 201 2,314 1 0 0 0 2,516 Ludlow County 8 1,184 4,074 0 0 0 0 5,258 Macclesfield County 2 179 0 0 0 0 0 179 Maldon and East Chelmsford County 1 0 604 2 0 0 0 606 Medway County 2 162 765 0 0 0 0 927 after an outbreak of foot and mouth disease; and if she will make a statement. [24455]
§ Mr. MorleyOf the 132 premises in Worcestershire affected by Foot and Mouth disease, secondary cleansing and disinfection has been completed on 130. Significant work has been undertaken on the remaining two premises, but in both cases has been halted. No other premises in Worcestershire will require cleansing and disinfection.
Nationally, the secondary cleansing and disinfection operation is well advanced with 88 per cent. of premises subject to secondary C and D now complete, a further 7 per cent. in progress and only 1 per cent. to start. 4 per cent. of premises will not undergo secondary C and D.
§ Mr. BreedTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many foot and mouth cases there were, broken down by(a) farm and (b) animals slaughtered, by category, in each (i) constituency and (ii) local authority in 2001. [24900]
§ Mr. MorleyThe information requested is presented in the following two tables:
737W
Table 1: Number of premises infected with foot and mouth disease and number of animals slaughtered on infected premises by constituency Number of animals slaughtered on infected premises Constituency Number of infected premises Cattle Sheep Pigs Goats Deer Other Total Mid Worcestershire County 6 421 6,819 0 0 0 0 7,240 Monmouth County 23 1,876 12,828 587 0 0 0 15,291 Montgomeryshire County 25 2,361 9,059 0 0 0 0 11,420 Morecambe and Lunesdale County 8 1,726 2,440 0 1 0 0 4,167 Newcastle upon Tyne North Borough 6 379 628 134 0 0 0 1,141 Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough 1 157 150 0 0 0 0 307 Newport West County 3 463 2,123 3 4 0 0 2,593 North Cornwall County 3 313 1,726 0 0 0 0 2,039 North Devon County 40 4,280 27,118 1 3 0 0 31,402 North Essex County 2 96 2,565 2 0 0 0 2,663 North Shropshire County 4 512 1,621 3 3 0 0 2,139 North West Durham County 37 4,941 18,768 50 26 0 0 23,785 North West Leicestershire County 1 0 1,506 0 0 0 0 1,506 Northampton South Borough 1 0 558 0 0 0 0 558 Northavon County 3 116 35 5,490 0 0 0 5,641 Nuneaton County 2 429 1,025 0 0 0 0 1,454 Oxford West and Abingdon County 1 0 266 0 0 0 0 266 Pendle Borough 3 540 647 0 0 0 0 1,187 Penrith and The Border County 642 113,945 302,176 2,278 115 20 0 418,534 Pudsey Borough 1 75 0 0 0 0 0 75 Rayleigh County 3 26 489 1,064 4 0 0 1,583 Redditch Borough 2 3 153 16 0 0 0 172 Ribble Valley County 37 5,378 13,586 10 6 0 133 19,113 Richmond (Yorks) County 40 5,292 19,477 1,380 0 0 0 26,149 Roxburgh and Berwickshire County 11 1,012 9,590 4 37 2 0 10,645 Rutland and Melton County 1 0 179 0 0 0 0 179 Ryedale County 1 160 2,311 0 0 0 0 2,471 Scarborough and Whitby County 19 2,072 5,313 3 2 0 0 7,390 Sedgefield County 9 1,020 3,774 29 0 0 0 4,823 Shrewsbury and Atcham County 3 137 1,340 319 0 0 0 1,796 Sittingbourne and Sheppey County 1 0 347 0 0 0 0 347 Skipton and Ripon County 62 7,608 41,558 16 17 0 104 49,303 South Derbyshire County 8 610 782 0 34 0 0 1,426 South East Cornwall County 1 69 236 70 0 0 0 375 South Staffordshire County 5 105 2,870 0 0 0 0 2,975 South West Devon County 1 443 0 0 0 0 0 443 Stafford County 3 298 794 1,848 0 0 0 2,940 Stockton South Borough 4 870 2,325 0 1 0 0 3,196 Stone County 6 200 2,049 1,400 1 0 0 3,650 Stroud County 12 2,053 1,263 0 0 0 0 3,316 Tamworth County 2 0 2,889 0 0 0 0 2,889 Tatton County 7 629 1,106 0 0 0 0 1,735 Taunton County 5 249 1,202 0 358 0 0 1,809 Tewkesbury County 12 815 4,714 0 0 0 0 5,529 The Wrekin County 1 0 271 584 0 0 0 855 Tiverton and Honiton County 9 1,004 4,233 22 5 0 6 5,270 Torridge and West Devon County 122 19,112 48,497 1,653 4 0 0 69,266 Upminster Borough 1 198 0 6 0 0 0 204 Vale of York 11 1,065 4,138 5 8 3 0 5,219 Wansbeck County 3 606 3,287 4 3 0 0 3,900 Warrington North Borough 1 371 4 0 0 0 0 375 Wells County 1 0 619 0 0 0 0 619 West Worcestershire County 4 0 9,062 0 0 0 0 9,062 Westmorland and Lonsdale County 18 1,842 12,875 0 0 0 0 14,717 Workington County 152 33,509 44,186 8 3 0 0 77,706 Wyre Forest County 8 975 2,115 0 0 0 0 3,090 Ynys Mon County 13 636 7,296 5 0 0 0 7,937 Total 2,026 307,170 953,792 21,162 879 25 249 1,283,277 738W 739W
Number of animals slaughtered on infected premises Constituency Description Number of infected premises Cattle Sheep Pigs Goats Deer Other Total Bradford District Metropolitan District 5 418 243 0 0 0 0 661 Caerffili-Caerphilly Unitary Authority 2 173 437 0 0 0 0 610 Casnewydd-Newport Unitary Authority 3 463 2,123 3 4 0 0 2,593 Castell-Nedd Port Talbot-Neath Port Talbot Unitary Authority 1 416 2 0 0 0 0 418
Number of animals slaughtered on infected premises Constituency Description Number of infected premises Cattle Sheep Pigs Goats Deer Other Total Cheshire County County 16 1,616 4,364 0 0 0 5 5,985 City of Bristol Unitary Authority 1 0 5 1 8 0 0 14 Cornwall County County 4 382 1,962 70 0 0 0 2,414 County of Herefordshire Unitary Authority 44 4,408 38,475 52 3 0 0 42,938 Cumbria County County 893 167,709 384,601 2,294 138 20 0 554,762 Darlington Unitary Authority 8 1,012 3,049 29 0 0 0 4,090 Derbyshire County County 8 610 782 0 34 0 0 1,426 Devon County County 173 24,964 81,957 1,676 12 0 6 108,615 Dumfries and Galloway Unitary Authority 176 34,572 86,462 191 155 0 0 121,380 Durham County County 85 9,553 40,073 2,858 39 0 0 52,523 Essex County County 9 333 4,151 1,376 13 0 1 5,874 Gloucestershire County County 72 5,855 20,098 153 0 0 0 26,106 Greater London Authority Greater London Authority 1 198 0 6 0 0 0 204 Kent County County 3 0 2,793 0 0 0 0 2,793 Lancashire County County 53 8,126 18,462 10 7 0 133 26,738 Leeds District Metropolitan District 1 75 0 0 0 0 0 75 Leicestershire County County 6 550 1,797 6 0 0 0 2,353 Medway Unitary Authority 2 162 765 0 0 0 0 927 Newcastle upon Tyne District Metropolitan District 6 379 628 134 0 0 0 1,141 North Yorkshire County County 133 16,197 72,797 1,404 27 3 104 90,532 Northamptonshire County County 1 0 558 0 0 0 0 558 Northumberland County County 88 11,163 65,140 541 8 0 0 76,852 Oxfordshire County County 2 0 803 0 0 0 0 803 Powys-Powys Unitary Authority 70 4,969 43,302 2 22 0 0 48,295 Rhondda, Cynon, Taf-Rhondda, Cynon, Taff Unitary Authority 1 112 994 0 0 0 0 1,106 Scottish Borders Unitary Authority 11 1,012 9,590 4 37 2 0 10,645 Shropshire County County 15 1,833 7,035 322 3 0 0 9,193 Sir Fynwy-Monmouthshire Unitary Authority 23 1,876 12,828 587 0 0 0 15,291 Sir Ynys Mon-Isle of Anglesey Unitary Authority 13 636 7,296 5 0 0 0 7,937 Somerset County County 8 285 1,876 0 358 0 0 2,519 South Gloucestershire Unitary Authority 3 116 35 5,490 3 0 0 5,641 Staffordshire County County 45 3,446 13,824 3,311 8 0 0 20,589 Stockton-on-Tees Unitary Authority 4 870 2,325 0 1 0 0 3,196 Telford and Wrekin Unitary Authority 1 0 271 584 0 0 0 855 Thurrock Unitary Authority 1 31 0 37 0 0 0 68 Warrington Unitary Authority 1 371 4 0 0 0 0 375 Warwickshire County County 2 429 1,025 0 0 0 0 1,454 Wigan District Metropolitan District 1 47 0 0 0 0 0 47 Wiltshire County County 9 151 2,628 0 2 0 0 2,781 Worcestershire County County 22 1,652 18,232 16 0 0 0 19,900 Total 2,026 307,170 953,792 21,162 879 25 249 1,283,277 Note:
Figures subject to revision as more data become available
Source:
DEFRA Disease Control system Database as at 21 December 2001
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Institute of Animal Health's polymerase chain reaction test for the foot and mouth disease virus in livestock; and if she will make a statement. [25196]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Institute of Animal Health at Pirbright has improved the speed of Foot and Mouth Disease diagnosis using polymerase chain reaction methods. This system involves the automated extraction of nucleic acid from tissues and robotic control of the reverse transcription reactions using a probe and primers capable of detecting all seven serotypes of Foot and Mouth Disease viral RNA. The results can be available in around four hours when fewer than 30 samples are tested. The sensitivity and specificity of the method is comparable with virus isolation in cell culture which takes several days.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if she will list by county(a) the number and (b) the location of individual burial pits containing the carcases of livestock slaughtered as a result of foot and mouth disease control measures; [25194]
740W(2) what her Department's policy is on the publication of the location of burial pits containing the carcases of livestock slaughtered as a result of foot and mouth disease control measures. [25193]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Department's policy is to make available the locations and addresses of premises on which individual burial pits are sited only to third parties with a legitimate interest in the information. This interest may for example include environmental monitoring or farmer support.
If an individual site owner consents to unlimited disclosure, the name and address of the owner and location of the site can be made publicly available.
§ Mr. EdwardsTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when Dr. Iain Anderson's Lessons Learned Inquiry into the foot and mouth outbreak is to start; and if she will make a statement. [23915]
§ Margaret BeckettDr. Iain Anderson's Lessons Learned Inquiry into the foot and mouth outbreak launched its framework document on 14 December, marking the formal start of this independent inquiry.
741WThe Prime Minister has confirmed that he expects all Ministers and civil servants to cooperate fully with the inquiry.
I welcome the start of the Lessons Learned Inquiry. This inquiry, and the Royal Society's independent scientific review, will be rigorous investigations of all the relevant scientific and policy issues and will enable us to establish the best way forward. We are contributing fully to the independent inquiry process.
§ Mr. MacKayTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many(a) infected premises and (b) contiguous premises there were from which samples were taken during the foot and mouth disease outbreak; what was the total number of premises recorded by region in each category; how many animals in each category were culled; and, of those culled, how many returned positive tests. [16055]
§ Mr. MorleyI will place the information requested in the Library of the House today.
§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the value is of the(a) VAT and (b) council tax deferred as a result of the economic impact of foot and mouth disease for which payment is being sought. [20908]
§ Margaret Beckett[holding answer 6 December 2001]There has been no change in the Government's policy on the collection of taxes due from businesses affected by foot and mouth disease. A total of £202 million of payments of income tax, VAT and national insurance contributions (of which £88 million relates to VAT) have been deferred by agreement beyond their due date without interest becoming payable. Customs and Excise and the Inland Revenue continue to take a sympathetic approach, on a case-by-case basis, to recovery of the outstanding amounts.
No records are held centrally of any council tax payments that local authorities may have agreed to defer. Partial information is available on deferred business rate payments: a survey by the Local Government Association shows that 101 local authorities have deferred rate payments from nearly 6,000 businesses, and, based on information from 54 of those authorities, estimates the value of deferred payments in their areas at around £2 million. To help authorities meet the demand to defer rate payments, the Government deferred 50 per cent. of all payments into the national rate pool from 151 rural authorities between April and August 2001.