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From: TSS ()
In Reply to: SCRAPIE STRAINS IN GOATS LAST 3 YEARS UK posted by TSS on March 22, 2006 at 6:36 am:
Scrapie The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government: What have been the total costs, including the set-up cost and running costs, of the National Scrapie Plan since its inception; how many full-time posts are involved; and in which tasks. [HL4601] The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Bach): The total cost of the National Scrapie Plan (NSP) since its inception in 2001 until the end of February 2006 is approximately £97 million. This figure is inclusive of set-up and running costs. Currently, there are 84 full-time staff engaged on NSP activities. This includes staff at the State Veterinary Service's (SVS) National Scrapie Plan Administration Centre, who are responsible for service delivery aspects, and core Defra staff responsible for the NSP policy and programme management in partnership with the GB devolved administrations. In addition, farm-based activities are carried out by SVS field staff and local veterinary inspectors alongside their other duties. The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government: How many cases of (a) classical, and (b) atypical scrapie have been detected in sheep in the United Kingdom since the introduction of the National Scrapie Plan; what were the genotypes of the sheep; and which strains of scrapie were found. [HL4603] Lord Bach: In the UK there are two forms of surveillance performed for the detection of TSEs in sheep, termed passive and active surveillance. Passive surveillance is where animals are reported to the State Veterinary Service (SVS) with clinical signs of disease, and the case is investigated. In 2002 the European Union launched a Europe-wide active TSE surveillance programme to establish the prevalence of TSEs in small ruminants. This has required the testing of sheep slaughtered for human consumption and fallen sheep over 18 months of age. Table 1 shows the number of classical cases of scrapie detected in Great Britain through the passive surveillance from the beginning of the National Scrapie Plan in July 2001 until 15 March 2006. Diagnostic methods capable of detecting atypical cases of scrapie were introduced into the passive surveillance programme in July 2004, so the data presented for atypical cases of scrapie in the table are from July 2004 to 15 March 2006. Table 2 shows the number of confirmed classical and atypical scrapie cases detected in Great Britain through active surveillance of sheep at abattoirs and fallen stock since testing began in January 2002 until 15 March 2006. The active surveillance programme is an EU requirement. From January 2002 the Veterinary Laboratories Agency has tested over 140,000 sheep samples. Information on the strains of scrapie present in a sample is not routinely collected. The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government: What have been the total funds allocated by them and by the research councils for research into transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in sheep, goats and cattle since the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee was formed; and to which individuals or organisations those funds have been allocated. [HL4605] The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Bach): The main funders of research into transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) in sheep, goats and cattle are MAFF/Defra, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA). MAFF/DEFRA Since the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) was formed in 1990, MAFF/Defra have funded or are currently funding 274 research projects in TSEs at a total cost of £182,600,992. The breakdown of MAFF/Defra funding per institution is as follows. see full text; TSS
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