Written question asked by Elfyn Llwyd (Plaid Cymru) on Tuesday, 24 October 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 2 November 2000. It was answered by Baroness Quin (Labour) on Thursday, 2 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, how many of the unfunded proposals submitted in 1996 to the open competition for a diagnostic test for bovine spongiform encephalopathy were developed further; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many of the unfunded proposals submitted in 1996 to the open competition for a diagnostic test for bovine spongiform encephalopathy were developed further; and if he will make a statement. [135078] Ms Quin: To our knowledge, none of the unfunded proposals submitted under the 1996 open competition has resulted in a diagnostic test that can be used in the live animal. Swiss researchers who submitted a proposal under the competition have since developed a test called the Prionics test. However, this is not the same test as that submitted under the open competition. The Prionics test has been assessed by the EU Commission and has met their criteria. The test is currently being used in abattoir surveys of cattle in Switzerland and France. It is also used in the UK for the confirmation of clinical cases. This test uses brain tissue and cannot be used in the live animal.

Secondary information