HL Deb 21 February 2005 vol 669 cc180-1WA
Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How much compensation has been paid in each of the past five years in respect of animals slaughtered as a result of bovine tuberculosis; and what sums they estimate to be outstanding by way of compensation, valuation fees and other associated costs. [HL1014]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty)

The amount spent on bovine TB compensation for the past five financial years, and the forecast for 2004–05, is given in the table below:

Financial year Expenditure in £ million
1999–2000 5.3
2000–01 6.6
2001–02 9.2
2002–03 31.9
2003–04 34.4
2004–05 36.2 (forecast)

We are not aware that any moneys remain outstanding in respect of compensation for animals slaughtered, or other costs.

Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many cattle have been slaughtered because of bovine tuberculosis during each of the past five years; and how many of these were dairy cattle. [HL1067]

Lord Whitty

The number of cattle slaughtered under TB control measures in Great Britain between 2000 and 2004 is detailed in the table below. Data on dairy cattle are available only at disproportionate cost.

Year2 Cattle slaughtered
2000 8,352
2001 3 6,258
2002 3 22,957
2003 23,168
2004 22,490

Notes:

1 TB reactors plus direct contacts.

2 2000–03 data downloaded from the State Veterinary Service database on 18 to 19 January 2005. 2004 data downloaded from State Veterinary Service database on 8 February 2005. All data provisional and subject to change as more data becomes available.

3 In 2001, the TB testing and control programme was largely suspended due to the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak. When testing resumed in 2002, resources were concentrated on herds with overdue TB tests which would have had a longer period in which to contract the disease. Also the proportion of high-risk herds tested immediately after the FMD outbreak was greater than that prior to the outbreak. As a result, data for 2001 and 2002 are not comparable with other years.

Back to