§ Mr. WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the payment structure is for the Government's compensation scheme for dead bovine TB-infected cattle; and what the time scale is for payment of the compensation. [65687]
378W
§ Mr. MorleyIt is Government policy to pay 100 per cent. of market value, with no upper limit, for cattle that are compulsorily slaughtered under TB control measures.
The Government recognise that compensation for animals slaughtered should be paid promptly. We are aware of some delays in payment, in some areas, due to the priority given by Animal Health Offices to clearing the backlog of TB testing after the foot and mouth disease outbreak.
§ Mr. WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many confirmed TB herd incidents there have been in 2002, broken down by month, in(a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Herefordshire and (d) Worcestershire. [65686]
§ Mr. MorleyThe information is not available in the format requested. The figures for the Hereford and Worcester Animal Health Region are given as a total. Individual totals for the separate counties are not yet available. The table details the information requested.
Confirmed new TB incidents England Wales Hereford/Worcester January 46 7 8 February 101 27 12 March 177 35 32 April 108 29 15 May 114 17 10
§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much money has been spent on(a) testing and (b) investigating TB in cattle in (i) Gloucestershire and (ii) the UK in each of the last four years for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement. [66510]
§ Mr. Morley[holdinganswer 2 July 2002]The information requested is not available on a UK-wide basis. Total expenditure on TB controls, including testing, and research in GB between 1998–99 and 2000–01 is set out in the table. The information is not available by county.
Prior to 1998–99 a different method was used to collate the statistics. Therefore we are unable to provide expenditure for four years except at disproportionate cost.
Figures for 2001–02 are not yet finalised.
Breakdown of the Government's expenditure on tackling TB in cattle £ million Expenditure category 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 TB controls, including TB testing 16.8 27.1 20.8 Research including badger culling trial,other research and Veterinary Laboratory Agency contracts 8.0 11.1 15.1 Total 24.8 38.2 35.9
§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how long, on average, it has taken in the last year for which figures 379W are available to compensate a farmer whose cattle have contracted bovine TB in (a) Gloucestershire and (b) England; and if she will make a statement. [66512]
§ Mr. Morley[holdinganswer 2 July 2002]The average time taken to pay compensation to a random sample of farmers whose cattle have contracted bovine TB in Gloucestershire is approximately ten and a half weeks. The same information for all TB breakdowns in Gloucestershire, or for England as a whole, is not readily available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.
The Government believe that compensation for animals slaughtered should be paid promptly. We are aware of payment delays in some areas due to pressure of work generated by increased bovine TB testing in order to reduce the backlog.