Written question asked by Gordon Prentice (Labour) on Thursday, 13 November 1997, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 20 November 1997. It was answered by Lord Rooker (Labour) on Thursday, 20 November 1997 on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food

Question: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what data he has collated concerning the existence of BSE in the United States cattle herd.

Answer: Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what data he has collated concerning the existence of BSE in the United States cattle herd; and if he will make a statement. [16683] Mr. Rooker: No cases of BSE in cattle have been reported by the USA authorities to the Office International des Epizooties (OIE). The USA have carried out detailed risk assessments which have been made available to us. They have traced, investigated and destroyed cattle imported from the UK and initiated surveillance for BSE in cattle presented for slaughter, concentrating particularly on adult animals with neurological symptoms. The demography of their cattle and sheep populations, the regional nature of their distribution of rendered protein and their low incidence of scrapie suggest that the risk from BSE in the USA is low. Nevertheless, the presence of three transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, namely scrapie in sheep, CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) in elk and mule-deer and more rarely TME (Transmissible Mink Encephalopathy), indicate that the risk cannot be zero.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 16683; 301 c276W
Session: 1997-98
Subjects: Cattle Diseases Disease control USA BSE World Organisation for Animal Health