Tuesday3
November,10.00, Macmillan Room, Portcullis House
The EFRA Committee will question government agencies on their
response to this year's bluetongue outbreak the worst year on
record and see how lessons could be learnt after criticism of
poor vaccine and testing availability.
Bluetongue, a life-threatening livestock disease spread in warm
weather by midges, has been found in more than 3,400 premises
this year. This includes 2,898 locations in England, 493 in Wales
and 52 in Scotland. The number of affected animals is likely
to be far higher and the precise number of deaths is
unknown.
In a first panel of this evidence session, the cross-party
Committee will question representatives of the National Farmers
Union and the British Veterinary Association on the toll that
bluetongue has had on animal welfare, farmers and the sector as a
whole. MPs are also likely to ask about the effectiveness of
campaigns encouraging farmers to vaccinate their flocks and herds
earlier this year, and whether this was undermined by
misinformation about the vaccine.
In a second panel, the Committee will question the Animal and
Plant Health Agency (responsible for communication and reporting
of cases), the Pirbright Institute (responsible for testing) and
the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (responsible for vaccine
provision).
MPs will raise problems with waits of up to three weeks to
receive test results at the peak of the outbreak, whether factors
such as cost undermined vaccine uptake, and what lessons will be
learnt before next year's midge season.
Witnessesfrom10.00:
- Catherine McLaughlin, Chief Animal Health and Welfare Adviser
at National Farmers Union
- Dr Gwen Rees, President at British Veterinary
Association
From 11.00:
- Abigail Seager, Chief Executive at Veterinary Medicines
Directorate
-
, Chief Executive at Animal
and Plant Health Agency
- Professor Dan Horton, Director of Science at The Pirbright
Institute
