Foot-and-mouth Disease
The issue of foot-and-mouth disease was added to the agenda at a late point and did not appear on the first agenda that was published. I wrote to the Minister for Rural Development and offered him the opportunity to come before this committee if he felt able to do so. Unfortunately, because of his responsibilities, he is not able to attend today but he was grateful for the offer and has ensured that all the latest information has been made available to us.
Members should have papers before them, including the Scottish Parliament information centre research note that gives information on the disease and a note on a discussion that took place at the British-Irish Council meeting. There is also a bundle of press cuttings that should help to bring us up to date with the latest press information. At the moment, there is no confirmation of whether the tests that are being carried out on a sample from a farm in Fyvie in Aberdeenshire are positive or negative. We believe that it might be possible to have that information made available to us during the meeting. Should it become available, I understand that Richard Davies, the clerk, will be paged with that information.
The reason for putting the issue on the agenda is that it is of grave concern to the rural community and, although we have discussed what we have called the committee's firefighting activity, I believed that it was important to give members the opportunity to comment at this stage.
I understand that the minister has agreed to make a statement to Parliament at 2.30 tomorrow, so we will have an opportunity to question him then.
Everyone agrees that the farming community is placed in a desperate position by the outbreak and I am sure that we all support the steps that have been taken so far by the Westminster and the devolved Administrations in seeking to contain and eradicate this most horrific and contagious of animal diseases. I particularly want to pay tribute to the work that has been done by the staff of the agriculture departments and the veterinary surgeons who have had to deal with things that I am sure they would never have wished to see again.
I look forward to the minister's statement tomorrow—we all do—and I hope that we will have slightly longer than normal to raise questions with him about steps that have been taken and steps that might need to be taken.
I want briefly to canvass a few areas of concern. First, I understand that despite the absence of cases of infection in Scotland, many if not most farmers are taking proper steps to disinfect at the farm gate. However, there is a question about whether farm gate disinfection should be made either semi or fully compulsory as a precautionary measure.
Secondly, concerns have been relayed to me—they were repeated on Newsnight last night—that there may be a shortage of disinfectant. If so, that would be extremely serious—I am absolutely sure that the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Scottish Executive rural affairs department are aware how serious that would be.
Thirdly, it would obviously be premature to consider a partial lifting of the export ban until we know whether attempts to stamp out the disease have been effective. However, the ban on the transportation of livestock is a secondary element. I understand from veterinary texts on accepted practice when dealing with foot-and-mouth disease that it is possible, in certain circumstances, to allow the limited movement, under licence, of livestock to abattoirs. I am sure that the Executive will be considering that issue, because there is a need to get beasts to the market, particularly cows that are coming up to the age of 30 months.
Many hauliers are staring bankruptcy in the face, as are many in the farming community. As soon as practicable, hauliers must be given an idea of whether limited movement under licence of livestock to abattoir for slaughter is to be allowed, perhaps from farms in areas that are free from infection or that are not identified as having any infection.
I hope that the Executive will be able to pursue those areas of concern.
I welcome the fact that the minister is to make a statement tomorrow at 2.30. It is clear that matters can develop quickly. For example, a farm in my constituency is currently under observation. Part of the problem for the south of Scotland is its proximity to the markets through which we know infected beasts have gone.
What arrangements are in place to ensure that members of the committee are kept up to date with the situation as it develops and receive information as quickly as possible? You may not know the answer to that question, convener—we may need to ask the minister.
I hope that the comments and questions that members of the committee raise today will help to advise the minister about the issues on which we wish to be informed during his statement tomorrow.
That is an important point.
I welcome the opportunity to put on record the supportive views of the committee—I am sure that the committee will be fully supportive of the measures taken both by the UK Government and by the Scottish Executive to contain and to eradicate this disease.
I heard and accept Fergus Ewing's comments about livestock movements, but first and foremost we must contain the disease, identify where it exists and destroy it. That is the most important issue and I believe that members of the committee are fully supportive of both the Government in London and the Administration in Edinburgh.
My view is that there are grave difficulties in ensuring that Scotland is kept free of the disease, not least of which is the fact that southern Scotland inevitably operates as part of a single market with the north of England. There is considerable movement of livestock to markets across the border.
Huge amounts of meat are to be imported into the country to offset the likely shortage that will occur in a short time. I am concerned to ensure that if it can be proved that areas of Scotland and other parts of the UK are free of the disease, those parts of the country should be allowed to supply markets as an alternative to importation. For that reason, I am keen to develop ways of moving cattle and other livestock to abattoirs, whether through some form of licence or under another procedure. I would be keen for the minister to address the possibility of such action in his statement tomorrow.
I propose to write formally to the minister, asking him to keep the committee informed of the latest position at all times. I would intend to bring this matter back on to the agenda, if necessary, for a brief discussion at any subsequent committee meeting during the on-going crisis.
I would also take the view that, although the committee will wish to remain involved in considering the latest news on the crisis, the main part of the committee's work will probably to consider the aftermath of this outbreak. If we feel it appropriate in the latter stages, we could look over the actions taken during the outbreak of the disease and could consider whether there are any longer-term considerations that need to be taken into account to prevent problems in the future.