§ Mr. Liddell-GraingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if there have been confirmed cases of BSE in sheep since 1996 in the UK. [43854]
§ Mr. MorleyTo date, no cases of BSE have been found in the national sheep flock. The numbers tested are still relatively low because there is no validated, rapid method for differentiating between BSE and scrapie. We have to use a number of different tests, including where possible, bioassay in mice. Of course the Government have in place a comprehensive risk management strategy, should the theoretical risk of BSE in sheep become a real one. This includes: the National Scrapie Plan, aiming to reduce, and eventually eliminate, scrapie in the national sheep flock; a contingency plan, drawn up in conjunction with industry and other stakeholders; a major ongoing sheep TSE research programme, which is kept under review; and removal of specified risk material from the food chain. Independent advice from the Food Standards Agency remains unchanged: the risk of BSE in sheep is still entirely theoretical and the agency is not advising against the consumption of sheep or lamb.