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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Answer

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what research her Department has commissioned into the effectiveness of the examination of deer at abattoirs in identifying cases of bovine TB infection in venison intended for human consumption; [202022] (2) how many incidents of bovine TB in (a) farmed and (b) park deer have been notified as a result of identification at abattoirs in each of the past five years. [202031] Mr. Bradshaw: Carcases of farmed deer slaughtered for venison production are subject to full red meat inspection procedures by the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS), under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 (as amended). In addition, the Wild Game Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995, require that wild and park deer destined for export to other European Union member states for human consumption must undergo post-mortem inspection by the MHS. Procedures for the post-mortem examination of deer, and the requirement to notify the State Veterinary Service of carcases suspected of being affected by TB, are set out in the MHS Operations Manual. Compliance with the requirements specified in the MHS Operations Manual is subject to annual audit. No research has been commissioned by Defra to look more closely at the effectiveness of post-mortem procedures in identifying TB in deer destined for human consumption. Most cases of TB in park deer are notified by hunters and gamekeepers, whereas most cases of TB in farmed deer are identified following notification by the MHS. Specific data is not available for the number of notifications of suspect TB cases made at abattoirs. However, the number of park and farmed deer herds in which bovine TB was detected by post-mortem examination and confirmed by culture since 1999 is given in the following table: _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 12004 Farmed deer herds 0 1 0 1 1 0 Park deer herds 1 1 0 2 0 2 Total 1 2 0 3 1 2 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1 Provisional data for January-June

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

428 c798W; 202022;202031

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Deer Inspections Farms Disease control Parks Research Bovine tuberculosis Venison

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk