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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the recent European Commission's Food and Veterinary Office report on the implementation by the French authorities of European rules on protective measures against BSE in France; what discussions she has had with...

Asked by

Ann Winterton (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

16 April 2002

For answer on

14 May 2002

Answered on

14 May 2002

Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the recent European Commission's Food and Veterinary Office report on the implementation by the French authorities of European rules on protective measures against BSE in France; what discussions she has had with (a) her French Government counterpart and (b) the European Commission about the report's findings; and if she will make a statement on the continuing French ban on imports of British beef. [51455] Mr. Morley: It is the European Commission's responsibility to ensure that member states take adequate steps to follow up findings from the reports of Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) missions, to make certain that appropriate and timely corrective actions are taken and necessary improvements achieved. In the past, the Commission has prepared infringement proceedings as a result of the FVO's findings against member states which were considered to have taken inadequate steps to implement EU rules relating to BSE. It should be noted, however, that the initial response of the French authorities to the FVO's recent inspection suggests that serious attention is being paid to following-up the mission's findings, so as to rectify the deficiencies that the visit identified. The Secretary of State continues to make it clear to both French Ministers and Commissioner Byrne that France should respect the 13 December 2001 judgment of the ECJ, which judged that the French ban was illegal. France should lift its ban on imports of British beef as soon as possible.

Date

14 May 2002

Reference

51455; 385 c554W

House

House of Commons

Dept of Health

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the (a) operation and (b) effectiveness of the Beef Assurance Scheme in the prevention of BSE infected cattle entering the food chain; and what proportion of the cattle slaughtered for human consumption in the last...

Asked by

Ann Winterton (Conservative)

Answering body

Department of Health

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

21 March 2002

For answer on

10 April 2002

Answered on

10 April 2002

Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the (a) operation and (b) effectiveness of the Beef Assurance Scheme in the prevention of BSE infected cattle entering the food chain; and what proportion of the cattle slaughtered for human consumption in the last year for which figures are available were produced under the Beef Assurance Scheme. [46382] Yvette Cooper: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that while normally animals over 30 months are not permitted to enter the food chain under the Beef Assurance Scheme (BAS) certain cattle exceptionally may do so up to the age of 42 months. Under the scheme, a number of stringent conditions apply, for example that cattle must be drawn entirely from specialist grass reared beef herds known not to have consumed mammalian meat and bone meal. In addition, in common with other cattle, certain specified risk material where any BSE infectivity is thought likely to reside, must also be removed. There have been no clinical cases of BSE in bona fide BAS herds. From 1 January 2001, EU rules were introduced to require all cattle over 30 months of age--including those registered under the BAS--to be tested for BSE and only enter the food chain if found negative. The agency has advised that 20 BAS cattle entered the human food chain last year without having been tested in this way. Prior to 2001, these animals were regarded as sufficiently low-risk to enter the human food chain without testing. There are currently 66 BAS herds in Great Britain. The total number of BAS cattle is 4,000, out of a total UK herd of 5.3 million. Last year 181 cattle were slaughtered for human consumption under the scheme.

Date

10 April 2002

Reference

46382; 383 c422W

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on what date she expects the resumption of exports of British beef to France following the European Court of Justice ruling; what recent discussions she has had with her French counterpart about the arrangements for the lifting the...

Asked by

Ann Winterton (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

8 January 2002

Reference

377 c769W;377 c772W; 25192

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the level of testing of sheep brains for BSE and scrapie; and when she expects to publish the results of the next round of testing.

Asked by

Ann Winterton (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

21 November 2001

For answer on

29 November 2001

Answered on

29 November 2001

Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the level of testing of sheep brains for BSE and scrapie; and when she expects to publish the results of the next round of testing. [18209] Mr. Morley: Between November 2000 and the end of September 2001, 465 sheep scrapie suspects have been tested at the VLA. 284 were found to be positive for scrapie; none have given results indicative of BSE. The Department is also strain-typing, using mouse bioassay, brains from scrapie-infected sheep collected since 1996. In about 180 cases, experiments have reached the first point at which, if BSE was clearly present, it might have become apparent. It has not done so, although the work is still on-going and experiments cannot therefore be interpreted as excluding the presence of BSE. It is likely to require several more years before the strains can be definitively identified. The outcome of all investigations, whether research or surveillance, are kept under continual review, and guidance sought from SEAC where necessary. We will continue to put all our research into the public domain at the earliest opportunity. In the new year, the Department will be launching an abattoir survey and a fallen stock survey to test for TSEs, including scrapie, some 23,000 sheep aged over 18 months. This is part of an EU-wide programme designed to give information on the incidence of scrapie and other TSEs in the European Union. Quantitative data in terms of numbers of animals tested, and number positive, will be reported regularly to the European Commission in accordance with our statutory obligations. This information will also be put in the public domain. Qualitative analysis, whether in terms of the prevalence of scrapie infection in the population sampled, or the nature of any scrapie identified, will under normal circumstances require completion of the survey, and possible further investigations.

Date

29 November 2001

Reference

375 c1087W; 18209

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of those cattle tested for BSE are (a) fallen stock, (b) casualty animals and (c) over 30 months old; and what assessment she has made of the accuracy of the results in indicating the present level...

Asked by

Ann Winterton (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

22 November 2001

Reference

375 c434W;375 c436W; 16042

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the number of cattle tested for BSE in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; what plans her Department has to increase the number of cattle tested annually for BSE;...

Asked by

Ann Winterton (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

14 November 2001

For answer on

22 November 2001

Answered on

22 November 2001

Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the number of cattle tested for BSE in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; what plans her Department has to increase the number of cattle tested annually for BSE; and what assessment she has made of the level of testing for BSE in (a) France and (b) Germany. [16041] Mr. Morley: The following table lists the number of cattle tested for BSE in each of last 10 years for which figures are available. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Passive surveillance Active surveillance 1991 29,237 -- 1992 43,591 -- 1993 41,642 -- 1994 29,151 -- 1995 17,382 -- 1996 10,274 -- 1997 5,346 -- 1998 4,055 -- 1999 2,853 3,951 2000 1,784 12,595 2001{1} 1,090 54,253 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} As at 19 November The Government's active surveillance programme has recently been stepped up so that testing of over 350,000 cattle per year will be carried out. These include all fallen stock over 24 months of age, all casualty animals over 24 months of age, all casualty animals over 24 months of age, all cattle born between 1 August 1996 and 31 July 1997 which are slaughtered under the over-thirty-months scheme and a sample of 50,000 other animals over the age of 30 months.Passive surveillance will continue as before though numbers of cattle showing clinical signs suspicious of BSE are in decline. The current level of testing in France and Germany, as in the UK, is determined by EU legislation. Unlike the UK, the EU member states are now required to test all cattle over 30 months of age intended for human consumption--only meat from those with negative results is allowed to enter the food chain. The Food Standards Agency considers, however, that the UK's over-thirty-month-rule provides stronger protection.

Date

22 November 2001

Reference

375 c434-5W;375 c436-7W; 16041

House

House of Commons

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she has taken to publish scientific advice to Ministers relating to BSE and scrapie.

Asked by

Ann Winterton (Conservative)

Answering body

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

9 November 2001

Reference

12798; 374 c448-9W

House

House of Commons

Dept of Health

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the Government's policy in respect of the regulation of imports of French beef into the United Kingdom. - (Holding answer 21 December 2000).

Asked by

Ann Winterton (Conservative)

Answering body

Department of Health

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

7 December 2000

For answer on

9 January 2001

Answered on

9 January 2001

Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Government's policy in respect of the regulation of imports of French beef into the United Kingdom. [142354] Ms Stuart: [holding answer 21 December 2000]: I am advised on such matters by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), which is responsible for food safety issues in Government. So far as imports of beef from France are concerned, the FSA advice is that legally sold, imported beef, poses no greater risk than United Kingdom beef. To be sold legally, imported beef must comply with the Over-Thirty-Months (OTM) rule. In addition, specified risk material (specified risk material (SRM)--that with the highest risk of infection) must be removed from cattle. New EU wide controls on SRM were introduced from 1 October 2000. In assessing the safety of imported meat, protecting the public is the FSA's number one priority. As such it applies the following principles: Advice is based on the best available evidence. As further information comes to light, the position is kept under review and revised advice will be issued whenever necessary. This is an active process--the FSA is constantly seeking out the latest scientific and other information. Action should be proportionate to the risk. Risk can never be totally eliminated--food is no different in this respect from other aspects of daily life. Where there is a risk that does not warrant banning, the FSA seeks to provide information and take action to enable consumer choice. Current advice on the safety of imported beef can be found on the FSA website at www.bsereview.org.uk. There should be full and vigorous enforcement of food law and regulations. At the same time, the FSA recognises that individuals may wish to exercise personal preference to reduce as far as possible any risk that may be perceived from imported beef. It has therefore advised consumers that they should: Buy their meat from reputable sources Ask their supplier about the country of origin and source of the meat.

Date

9 January 2001

Reference

360 c538W; 142354

House

House of Commons

Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food

Supplementary on veterinary inspection standards on imports of replacement cattle.

Asked by

Ann Winterton (Conservative)

Oral questions - 1st Supplementary

Status

Answered

Date

6 February 1997

Reference

289 c1127-8;289 c1125-6

House

House of Commons

Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food

Supplementary on incentives to intensify production in farming.

Asked by

Ann Winterton (Conservative)

Oral questions - 1st Supplementary

Status

Answered

Date

21 November 1996

Reference

285 c1093

House

House of Commons

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