David Heath: In accordance with EU law, and in line with what happens in other member states, all cattle in England that react positively to a TB diagnostic test are compulsorily slaughtered. In cases where the TB problem in a herd is particularly severe or extensive, other cattle considered to be at high risk of being infected (or becoming infected) will also be removed and slaughtered.
David Heath: With regard to specific TB controls, including bio-security measures, I hope that DEFRA's consultation on a draft TB strategy will generate innovative ideas on how Government and industry can work in partnership to eradicate this devastating disease. No options are off the table. However, the business costs associated with a TB breakdown provide many farmers with the incentive to maintain...
David Heath: The main purpose of the pilots is not to determine the impact of badger culling on TB incidence in cattle. However, information on cattle TB incidence will continue to be collected from the pilot areas as part of DEFRA's ongoing TB surveillance programme. We are putting in place research that will examine this information as it becomes available, to evaluate the impact of the badger control...
David Heath: Independent monitoring will be undertaken to assess the humaneness, along with the effectiveness and safety, of controlled shooting during the pilots. The design of this monitoring has been overseen by an independent panel of experts, who have advised on the appropriate methods for monitoring, which will include field observations and post mortems. Further details of the monitoring protocols...
David Heath: We have not estimated the likely effect on the number of people injured by dogs every year once our proposals come into force.
David Heath: Officials and industry representatives from the signatory countries met in Dublin on 11 July and made encouraging progress toward changing the scope of the Tripartite Agreement (TPA). All three countries hope that it will be possible to ratify a new agreement in the autumn. At the meeting there was agreement in principle that the TPA should be limited to horses with a demonstrably high...
David Heath: Porcine epidemic diarrhoea (PED) is not a notifiable disease in the EU, nor is it an OIE (the animal equivalent of the WHO) listed disease and as such there are no legislative measures in place to control it. China is not an approved country for the import of pigs into the EU and as such does not pose the UK a risk. EU legislation Regulation 102/2013 enabling import of live pigs into the EU...
David Heath: DEFRA undertakes routine scanning surveillance for the detection of new or re-emerging animal diseases that may pose a threat to animal health or public health. The Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency led Pig Species Expert Group (SEG) are aware of porcine epidemic diarrhoea (PED) and the emergence of a new virulent strain in the USA and China. The SEG routinely looks for changes...
David Heath: The Department does not routinely record specific injuries to livestock nor do we receive regular reports on such injuries from local authorities. Recognising the serious concerns that people have about the possible impacts of sky lanterns, we have encouraged the farming industry to gather evidence. In order to further improve the evidence-base DEFRA and the Welsh Government commissioned an...
David Heath: Regulations affecting the agriculture industry will be reviewed under a new Red Tape Challenge theme covering agriculture which will be launched on 17 July. Wherever possible, the resulting proposals to remove or improve regulations will be delivered by this Parliament. This will build on the work of the Farming Regulation Task Force. The task force focused mainly on the delivery of...
David Heath: A significant amount of information about these studies, including summaries of the results, is already published, in particular on the website of the European Food Safety Authority. Access to redacted versions of the studies themselves is possible either through reading them at the offices of the pesticides regulator, the Chemicals Regulation Directorate of the Health and Safety Executive,...
David Heath: holding answer 15 July 2013 These questions relate to departmental strategic objectives that were established as part of the 2007 comprehensive spending review. DEFRA has not reported this breakdown since 2010-11. Therefore, this is the only year for which data is provided. A table detailing the breakdown of the priorities by programme has been placed in the House Library.
David Heath: The following table displays details of all Pillar I and Pillar II payments for 16 October 2010 to 15 October 2011 and 16 October 2011 to 15 October 2012. The data for 2011 and 2012 is fully assured and made publicly available via the DEFRA CAP Beneficiaries website at: http://cap-payments.defra.gov.uk/. Data for previous years may be held in some of RPA's source systems but it is not in...
David Heath: The Forestry Commission regularly publishes numbers of confirmed infected sites in the UK on its website. The update for 15 July 2013 shows a total of 541 sites comprising 24 nursery sites, 330 recently planted sites and 187 sites in the wider environment.
David Heath: I am personally convinced that British beef has considerable attractiveness as an export. Others share my conviction, as DEFRA has been able to open the market for British beef in Hong Kong and southern and western Africa. We have achieved significant milestones in fostering the export trade to Russia in beef and also lamb. We are optimistic that the forthcoming EU-USA trade negotiations will...
David Heath: British grass fed beef is renowned as of the highest quality and in the last year I and other DEFRA Ministers have taken the opportunity to promote British beef exports at trade shows abroad. At a recent round table event in Scotland, new and established exporters were unanimous in their support of such ministerial visits as an effective means of promoting British beef. Therefore DEFRA...
David Heath: TB-related fraudulent activity could include Cattle Identification Regulations 2007 and the Disease Control Order 2003 being breached, as well as TB legislation. The investigating body of fraudulent activity may also conclude that it is in the public interest to undertake a prosecution under solely the Fraud Act 2006. Enforcement activity taken under DEFRA-owned legislation is recorded on the...
David Heath: DEFRA (and previously MAFF), along with the other agriculture departments in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, has for many years received revenue for the carcases of cattle slaughtered for bovine TB control purposes, in an attempt to offset for the taxpayer a fraction of the total cost of compensating farmers for their lost animals. In the last 10 years DEFRA has received a total of £38...
David Heath: The next Rural Development Programme is a major opportunity to invest in the rural environment, farming competitiveness and growth. Rewarding farmers for the environmental goods they provide is a much better use of taxpayers' money than providing income support. Support for UK farming should also be focused on helping the sector become more efficient and productive than its global rivals. We...
David Heath: The value and proportion of UK food, feed and drink exports to (i) Singapore, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama collectively is shown in the following table: 2009 2010 2011 2012(1) Value of exports to (i) (£ billion) 0.28 0.36 0.49 0.50 Proportion of total UK exports (percentage) 2 2 3 3 The value and proportion of UK food,...