asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will outline the total amount of money spent annually on research on the eradication of TB and brucellosis by his Department since the inception of these schemes; the total number of people employed by his Department on research into the eradication of these diseases.
Written Answers. - Animal Disease Eradication Schemes.
233.
Research on both these diseases is carried out at the central veterinary research laboratory as part of an overall research programme into animal diseases generally. It is not possible therefore to pinpoint the amounts of money spent annually or the numbers of staff engaged in research into the eradication of TB and brucellosis over the years since the inception of these schemes.
A sum of £260,000 including staff costs was spent on the overall research programme in 1983. In addition, epidemiological studies into the causes of disease breakdowns are a regular feature of district veterinary office work.
234.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will allow farmers whose total herds have been condemned as reactors under the TB and brucellosis schemes to purchase replacement animals after a shorter period than normal; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Sound animal health reasons preclude me from agreeing to any reduction in the normal period of restriction imposed on the re-stocking of holdings from which all cattle have been moved for slaughter because of serious TB or brucellosis infection.