Vol. 398 No. 9
26 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the amount of money which has been expended on the TB eradication scheme in the last ten years; if he will give a breakdown of this expenditure into (a) geographical locations, (b) compensation, (c) vets fees and (d) testing; the perceived success of each method used and the area in which it was carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The information, which the Deputy has sought, on a geographical location basis is not readily available and the time required to compile it would not be justified. However, details of total expenditure under the TB scheme from 1980 to 1989 will be circulated with the Official Report.
In evaluating this expenditure account must be taken of the essential role of the TB eradication scheme in preserving market outlets for livestock and livestock products and of the effects on productivity in agriculture of the removal of tens of thousands of diseased animals together with the prevention of disease spread. On that basis the expenditure I believe has been necessary and worthwhile.
|
Reactor Grants |
Veterinary Surgeon fees |
(other, Supplies, Travel, Misc. |
Total |
|
|
£m |
£m |
£m |
£m |
|
|
1980 |
2.9 |
6.5 |
1.6 |
11.0 |
|
1981 |
3.6 |
7.0 |
2.1 |
12.7 |
|
1982 |
3.7 |
7.6 |
2.2 |
13.5 |
|
1983 |
4.7 |
7.6 |
2.8 |
15.1 |
|
1984 |
6.7 |
7.1 |
3.1 |
16.9 |
|
1985 |
7.4 |
10.4 |
4.5 |
22.3 |
|
1986 |
7.6 |
10.0 |
3.5 |
21.1 |
|
1987 |
7.7 |
11.5 |
5.8 |
25.0 |
|
1988 |
6.3 |
13.6 |
6.0 |
25.9 |
|
1989 |
11.5 |
14.2 |
5.1 |
30.8 |
28 Mr. Cowen asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will have ERAD amend a present aspect of the TB eradication scheme whereby cattle whose tags are lost in the transporting of them from the farm yard to the factory are not being slaughtered and are sent back to the farm, thereby restricting that herd until there are two clear subsequent tests even though those cattle may have had a clear test a short time before being brought for slaughter; if he agrees that it would be more appropriate that the cattle be slaughtered and await inspection for lesions after slaughter, or, alternatively, that arrangements be made for retagging within the factory premises before such cattle are slaughtered, given that the factory premises are regarded as a restricted area under the regulations.
I am informed by the director of ERAD that the provisions governing cattle arriving at meat factories without ear-tags are essential elements in the disease eradication programme. Since the initiation of these procedures in March 1989 the number of animals without ear-tags being presented at meat plants has been reduced to minimal levels. In order to accommodate herd-owners to the greatest extent possible ERAD have recently introduced arrangements for the recognition of secondary identification in cases where the second identification has been correlated to the scheme tag by a veterinary surgeon and the DVO notified accordingly before the animal is moved out of the holding.
