§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many TB breakdowns of cattle there were in the Gloucester Division in each year from 1990 to 2000; and what the projected figure is for(a) 2001 and (b) 2002. [25348]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Gloucester Animal Health Division covers the counties of Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and the part of North Somerset which was formerly in the County of Avon. The total of new herd TB incidents from 1990 to 2000 and the number of those confirmed to beM.bovis TB are set out in the table.
Year New herd incidents Of which confirmed 1990 22 0 1991 69 0 1992 104 1 1993 151 5 1994 151 34 1995 189 108 1996 181 89 1997 229 132 1998 314 184 1999 333 221 2000 366 257 This information is taken from the IT system used by the State Veterinary Service in support of their TB control work and has not been checked against the quality criteria expected of 'national statistics'. Figures may therefore be unreliable (especially before 1996); they show trends rather than absolute numbers of new incidents.
Precise forecasts of the number of future incidents are not possible because of unknown variables including, in particular, the effect of the suspension of TB testing during 2001 in order to limit the spread of foot and mouth disease. We expect the total of new herd incidents in 2001 to fall within the range 95 to 150 (final figures will not be available until April). In 2002, if the rising trend of the last four years continues in the Gloucester Division, a new herd incident figure of around 400 may be possible, although it is not yet clear how measures taken in respect of foot and mouth disease may affect the incidence of bovine TB.
§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when full TB testing of herds will resume; what the priority order is for908W testing cattle to monitor the spread of bovine TB; and what staffing implications there are in the resumption of full cattle TB testing. [25373]
§ Mr. MorleyIt is not possible to predict when full TB testing of cattle will resume. This will depend on when veterinary resource can be released from FMD work.
Prioritisation of testing will vary according to local circumstances but in general tests will be ranked using two major criteria: likelihood of TB infection in a herd; and likely transmission of TB out of a herd. Top priority will be given to tests on herds where raw milk or raw milk products are manufactured and sold for human consumption or direct to consumers. Next in priority will be overdue tests on herds which have some association with an incident of TB. Of these, herds with high levels of movements other than direct to slaughter will be given priority.
The major part of routine TB testing is delivered for the Government by local veterinary practitioners who work for the State Veterinary Service (SVS) as local veterinary inspectors (LVIs). Non-routine TB testing is delivered by both SVS veterinary officers and (LVIs) depending on local circumstances. SVS administrative staff provide office support for the testing programme. The resumption of full TB testing and clearing the overdue test backlog will place significant demands on these resources for quite some time to come.