§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list sites in Essex where there is storage of(a) materials that could be contaminated by foot and mouth and (b) the products of the cattle slaughtering exercise undertaken as part of the foot and mouth control strategies. [88533]
§ Mr. MorleyThe answer is as follows:
(a) The Department is unaware of any sites in Essex where materials are stored that could be contaminated with the foot and mouth disease (FMD) virus. The last case of FMD in Essex was 20 months ago, in April 2001. The FMD virus survival period in environmental samples is believed to fall below infective levels well within this period and therefore the risk of FMD contamination in materials is negligible.
(b) The only residues from cattle slaughtered during the FMD outbreak remaining on sites in Essex is pyre ash. This has been buried in accordance with DEFRA/Environment Agency guidance at four locations in Essex. These are sites on land at:
- (1) East Donyland, Colchester
- (2) Warley Street, Brentwood
- (3) North Fambridge, Chelmsford
- (4) Wethersfield, Braintree
Details of the groundwater authorisations and locations of these sites can be found on the Environment Agency website.