Written question asked by David Drew (Labour) on Thursday, 2 November 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 22 November 2000. It was answered by Baroness Quin (Labour) on Wednesday, 22 November 2000 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 examination his Department has undertaken of the extent to which traces of BSE are present in animals resident in hunt kennels. - (Holding answer 7 November 2000).

Answer: Mr. Drew: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what examination his Department has undertaken of the extent to which traces of BSE are present in animals resident in hunt kennels. [137249] Ms Quin: [holding answer 7 November 2000]: In 1992 the Government concluded a random survey of the brains of 444 hunting hounds to investigate the risk of BSE transmission. The results were unsatisfactory partly because of difficulties in ensuring that the brains did not start to deteriorate between the death of the hound and its examination. Although various pathological changes were seen in the central nervous tissues of some of the hounds, the results did not provide firm proof of a TSE. The results were subsequently considered by the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee who did not suggest transmission studies. Hounds were initially studied because they were perceived as a "high risk" population exposed to large quantities of potentially infective bovine tissues. Since then, a range of other species had been identified with TSEs. However, TSEs have not been found in dogs and the further study of hounds was therefore considered less critical.

Secondary information