§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to assess the new diagnostic test for prions. [109652]
§ Mr. MorleyFive rapid tests for the post-mortem detection of BSE have been evaluated by the EU Commission and are considered appropriate for use as screening tests for cattle. The most recent of these, one from Switzerland and one from the USA, were published by the Commission at the end of 2002. Defra is aware of these assessments and will be guided by them in BSE control programmes. I presume that the question refers to one of these methods.
Scientists at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency are also engaged in trials of modifications of these and other methods to assess their potential to differentiate between BSE and scrapie. This is being done in collaboration with European and American scientists. In addition, the development of a BSE test for use in live animals is a longstanding Defra priority. Scientific staff monitor both national and global developments and are involved in the collaborative evaluation of a range of 715W tests at different stages of development. Thorough evaluation of performance is required before tests can be used for statutory purposes.