§ Mr. Boris JohnsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the decision by a State Veterinary officer to renew Mr. Bobby Waugh's swill feeding licence 14 days before the foot and mouth disease outbreak began. [159013]
§ Mr. BradshawThe inspection carried out at Bobby Waugh's swill feeding premises 26 days before the foot and mouth disease outbreak began was the latest in a series of routine visits that were carried out to such premises to ensure compliance with the licensing conditions. The visits that the SVS carry out were aimed at trying to ensure maintenance of acceptable standards, heightened awareness of the risks associated with this procedure and the need for these standards to be maintained, and early detection of any problems that occur.
As no evidence was found at the time of the visit to indicate that the licensing conditions were not being complied with, the licence was renewed. I am satisfied that the visit was carried out to the standards required at the time and that the inspecting officer did everything that would reasonably have been expected to ensure compliance with the conditions.
§ Mr. Boris JohnsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she has taken as a consequence of the recommendations contained within the EU report DG (SANCO)/3367/ 2001-MR Final regarding the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the United Kingdom. [159029]
§ Mr. BradshawThe recommendations in DG (SANCO) 3367/2001 were: to improve official controls over the disposal of waste food from catering establishments, and, to improve official controls over the disposal of waste food from prohibited sources at point of entry and the safe destruction of seized products.
The report recognised that the action already taken to ban the feeding of swill to livestock that the UK introduced in May 2001, "greatly" reduced the risk of introducing and spreading FMD or CSF from waste food. Following the introduction of the ban former swill feeders and processors of waste from catering establishments were monitored. For the 12 month period after the ban visits were made to former swill feeder premises to check compliance with the new requirements. The visits took place after approximately 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, 6 months and 12 months from the date of the ban. Where pigs were being kept on former swill feeding premises feed samples were taken if there was reason to consider that meat or meat products were being fed. Where non-compliance was found the local authorities have taken enforcement action.
Additionally we have instigated a rolling action plan to maintain awareness of the importance of disposing of food waste safely. We consider that we have in place all 162W the necessary controls but also, as part of our action plan, we write annually to the enforcement authorities that visit catering establishments reminding them of the provisions of the Animal By-Products legislation. We have also had assistance from the Environment Agency concerning disposal at landfill sites and inspections of these by the State Veterinary Service have been instigated. These actions will be repeated as part of our rolling plan. Other actions include providing advice to new pig keepers on restrictions on what may be fed to their pigs and the identification of new pig keepers. We are also concerned about the disposal of waste food by the general public and are considering a general awareness campaign. This is a matter of the utmost concern and we shall not cease in our actions aimed at ensuring that the risks from waste food are minimised.