Government accused of failing to answer questions over foot and mouth disease
The Government has been accused of failing to answer key questions about its response to a foot and mouth outbreak in Germany.
On January 10, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) was notified of the foot and mouth cases in Germany, and told port health authorities and councils to hold impacted consignments.
The Government also says it notified traders about the outbreak and “restrictions were immediately brought in on animal products from Germany”.
The chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Efra) Committee of MPs, Alistair Carmichael, initially wrote to Baroness Hayman, the Biosecurity Minister, after receiving “alarming” evidence that banned products were able to cross the border.
He said: “We have heard that it took six or seven days for controls on commercial imports to take effect due to failings in Defra’s communication and IT systems.”
However, Mr Carmichael said, neither Baroness Hayman or Defra’s chief veterinary officer Dr Christine Middlemiss could answer when the IT system updated to block banned consignments from being autocleared.
The Liberal Democrat MP has once again written to the minister as “certain questions … were not answered”.
Mr Carmichael has asked for clarity on when the IT system updated, how many prohibited goods made it into the country from Germany and what is being done to trace those.
He added: “Foot and mouth disease is understandably a great source of public concern.
“The UK has been FMD free since 2007 and learning lessons from our response to this outbreak in Germany is integral to ensuring that remains the case.”
A Defra spokesperson said: “The government will do whatever it takes to protect our nation’s farmers from the risk posed by foot and mouth disease.
“That is why restrictions were immediately brought in on animal products from Germany to prevent an outbreak.
“These goods are not permitted to enter the country, any consignment carrying them will not progress through our clearance system and will be stopped at the border.”