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Written question asked by Martin Vickers (Conservative) on Tuesday, 2 July 2019, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 4 July 2019. It was answered by David Rutley (Conservative) on Wednesday, 10 July 2019 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

African Swine Fever

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an economic assessment of the potential effect of African Swine Fever being identified in the UK on (a) the public purse and (b) pig producers’ incomes.

Answer

The Government has estimated that the economic effect of a reasonable worst case scenario outbreak of African Swine Fever could cost the UK up to £90 million at 2019 prices. This total estimate includes costs to the industry of up to £85 million, which reflects the lost value of animals from culling, movement bans and trade restrictions, and costs of up to £5 million for the Government for disease control activities.

While this estimate represents an informed assessment of the potential impact of an outbreak, exact costs would be determined by a large number of factors including geographic location, the husbandry system, epidemiology of the outbreak and whether wildlife was involved.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
272188
Session
2017-19
Subjects
Costs Pigs Livestock industry African swine fever
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk