Vol. 433 No. 1
193 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the amount of money spent on TB eradication in cumulative terms and in constant terms since the scheme was introduced; the total amount spent in 1993 values; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
In the period 1954 to 1992, the cumulative gross operating cost in current terms of the bovine TB eradication programme amounted to some £396 million or £1,158 million in constant 1993 terms.
194 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the progress, if any, that has been made in TB eradication in the past two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The bovine TB incidence is a residual one and currently over 99 per cent of animals in the national herd are clear of the disease. Following the 1992 testing programme the number of reactor animals per 1,000 tests (APT) was 3.3, an improvement on the 1991 programme APT of 4.4. It is hoped that at least this rate of improvement will be maintained in the 1993 testing programme.
