Minister seeks to ease fears over prospects of foot-and-mouth disease outbreak
The UK has no cases of foot-and-mouth disease, a Cabinet minister said as he sought to ease fears over a possible outbreak.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said he has met with Cobra officials, who help coordinate Whitehall departments in response to issues of concern, and received several briefings since an outbreak in Germany.
The UK has banned the import of cattle, pigs, sheep, deer, buffaloes and their products, such as meat and dairy, from Germany in a bid to protect farmers and their livelihoods.
Livestock keepers have also been urged to remain vigilant to the clinical signs of foot-and-mouth disease.
The UK suffered major outbreaks of the disease in 2001 and 2007, leading to millions of pigs, cattle and sheep being slaughtered across the country and costing both the public and private sector billions.
Food-and-mouth poses no risk to human or food safety.
Shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart asked Mr McFadden to update MPs about the work of the Cabinet Office to prepare for the possibility of an outbreak in the UK.
“Utmost seriousness”
Mr McFadden replied in the Commons: “Those of us of a certain age will remember the appalling consequences of the last serious outbreak of foot-and-mouth in the UK over 20 years ago.
“Let me say very clearly from this despatch box that we are taking this with the utmost seriousness.
“I met with Cobra officials yesterday, I’ve asked for several briefings since the outbreak in Germany, my colleagues at Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) at ministerial and official level are taking this very seriously.
“We know the threat that such an outbreak would pose to our farming communities, we want to work with farmers, do everything we possibly can to protect farmers from this.
“I can say that so far there has been no outbreak in the UK.”
Mr Burghart also sought assurances that Mr McFadden is speaking to interested parties in Northern Ireland, adding: “Given the fact that Northern Ireland is so closely connected to Ireland, which is part of the EU, and consequently farmers there are very concerned that they may be affected by any spread of the disease.
“So please will he assure me that he is undertaking that work.”
Mr McFadden replied: “We will make sure that we coordinate our response with all parts of the UK.”
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