Foot-and-mouth Disease
We now come to the ministerial statement on foot-and-mouth disease.
I want to bring Parliament up to date on the status of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease and the measures that I have taken to control its spread in Scotland.
As Parliament knows, Great Britain is facing a widespread outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. As I left my office, further cases were being reported. There are now 24 confirmed cases of the disease, 21 in England and three in Wales. So far, there have been no confirmed cases in Scotland, although 41 farms are under supervision because they have links with infected premises. In addition, two farms in Lockerbie and Canonbie are awaiting the results of tests, and veterinary staff have been called to investigate a farm at Bo'ness. There remains a severe risk that the outbreak may develop in Scotland, therefore the whole farming community must be vigilant for signs of the disease.
I judged correctly in applying in Scotland equivalent measures to those that are in force in England and Wales, and in introducing the necessary measures to contain and control the disease. It was vital to the livelihoods of our farmers that we took rapid and effective action to contain and, ultimately, eradicate the disease. On 21 February, I agreed to the UK Government's order that implemented an earlier European Commission decision to prohibit temporarily the export from the United Kingdom of live animals, meat, fresh milk and other animal products. That was a necessary step to prevent the spread of the disease to other countries. However, animals and animal products that are not susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease can be exported if they are accompanied by veterinary certificates issued by animal health officers.
With the confirmation of the case in Northumberland on Friday, it became clear that the disease is potentially more widespread and has been in the country longer than was first thought. Along with the agriculture ministers for England and Wales therefore, I accepted the advice of the chief veterinary officer that stringent controls on animal movements were needed. An order banning livestock movements for seven days, which was brought into force on 23 February, is due to expire at midnight on 2 March.
In view of concerns that the virus might be spread by people walking on farmland, yesterday—along with the ministers in England and Wales—I brought into force an order allowing local authority and animal health inspectors to prevent access to footpaths and other land if that is necessary for disease control purposes. I appreciate that that is a significant power, and I am taking it only to tackle the present emergency. The order makes powers available that I would not expect to be used unless clear advice was received that closures were necessary to contain the disease. In practice, I would expect such action to be necessary only if outbreaks of the disease were confirmed.
I fully appreciate that the measures that we have introduced are causing severe dislocation to the farming and meat-processing industries. The longer the movement ban continues, the more serious the consequences will be. However, I emphasise that control and eradication of the disease are my overriding priorities, and I am grateful for the support of the farming and meat industries for the measures that have been taken. I recognise that, without them, Scotland would be at much greater risk from the disease than it is already.
Of course, we will move as rapidly as we can to reduce the restrictions that are now in force. However, I emphasise that we will do so only on advice from the State Veterinary Service, which is in overall control of the outbreak. It is our intention that the present restrictions on the movement of livestock will be extended on 2 March for a further two weeks. I fully appreciate how serious a complete ban on movement for that further period will be.
The chief veterinary officer has advised that, in light of the difficulties that have been caused, licensed and strictly controlled movements of animals to slaughter may safely be permitted. My officials are today in discussion with local authorities and police representatives to determine how such a scheme might be enforced. The new arrangements, which will come into effect on 2 March should, if we can resolve the problems, allow Scottish meat to re-enter the food chain.
At this stage, it is impossible to say when a full return to normality might be possible. I know that farmers recognise the need to maintain for as long as possible measures to control the disease. I am grateful to members of the public for their co-operation and ask them to carry on avoiding unnecessary visits to places in which livestock is kept. The more that people keep away from livestock and livestock farms, the better.
In light of the seriousness of the situation, I should also advise the Parliament that, for the time being, I have decided not to proceed with the publication of the Executive's agricultural strategy, which was due to be launched next week. Clearly, it would be wholly inappropriate to launch the strategy during the current crisis. It remains important to identify ways of making progress on strategic issues, but I think that that can wait a little longer.
I will touch briefly on the financial issues. Farmers will receive compensation to the market value of the animals slaughtered. However, the wider financial and economic impact of the situation on livestock farmers is serious. It is all the more serious when taken against the background of the recent pressures on farming incomes. A key aspect of that additional pressure has been the sterling-euro exchange rate. I was, therefore, pleased by the UK Government's decision to call down all the agrimonetary compensation available for livestock sectors, which is worth £156 million for the UK and around £24 million for Scotland. I have pressed hard for that measure and I am sure that it will provide some welcome encouragement to the farming industry at this difficult time. I also welcome the decision to bring forward aid for those leaving the pig industry.
I assure the Parliament that the Executive will continue to work in the closest co-operation with other agriculture departments in the UK, the National Farmers Union of Scotland, other bodies representing industry and the public to do everything that we can to eliminate the foot-and-mouth epidemic and remove the restrictions affecting farming as quickly as possible. Foot-and-mouth disease has struck another devastating blow to the farming industry in Scotland, just as it has to the farming industry in the rest of the United Kingdom. We will all have to work together with great determination to help the farming industry recover once the progress of the disease has finally been stopped.
I call the convener of the Rural Development Committee, Alex Johnstone.
I speak not only as the convener of the Rural Development Committee, but as the Conservative party spokesman on the issue.
I welcome the minister's announcement and I thank him for making his statement available to us in advance.
That foot-and-mouth disease has once again attacked our country is a significant issue for us to deal with. As a livestock farmer, I am as concerned about it as many of my colleagues in the Scottish Parliament. I express my gratitude for the fact that the minister has dealt with the issue on a UK-wide basis. There are no boundaries for an infection such as foot-and-mouth disease. It is extremely important that regulations that are brought in apply across the UK.
I must express my concerns about the effect that the outbreak will have on the meat supply chain. I acknowledge that the minister referred to that. We must take into account the abattoir sector, the livestock haulage sector and the other sectors that are dependent on the meat supply chain in Scotland. It is a particular concern that each of those sectors be addressed. We must find a way of doing so that brings us into a situation of normality as soon as possible. I am particularly pleased that the minister has instructed officials to act quickly and to find ways of implementing the chief veterinary officer's recommendation that strictly controlled movements of animals for slaughter may safely be permitted.
I would like the minister's views on the ways in which the situation might affect Scotland differently from the rest of the UK. Given that we are, so far, free of the disease, and that many parts of Scotland have relatively dispersed animal populations, I believe that we are afforded the opportunity to restart the meat supply chain in Scotland rather faster than in the rest of the United Kingdom.
I would like the minister to address two further issues. The first concerns the approaches that I continue to receive, saying that not enough information is yet reaching those who are afraid that they might be affected by the disease. I am aware that every effort is being made to get information into the public domain, but I would wish the minister to make further effort to ensure that that process is speeded up.
Secondly, I have also received individual approaches about people's extreme concern in relation to the availability and supply of the disinfectant and other chemicals that are necessary to ensure that proper quarantine restrictions can be observed.
I thank Alex Johnstone for his whole-hearted support for the general line that we are taking in our efforts to eradicate foot-and-mouth disease. This is not a matter for narrow party politics.
Alex Johnstone referred to how quickly we might be able to resume some deliveries into the food chain. He raised a question about whether a different regime could arise in Scotland. We must remember that 41 supervision orders are in place. It will, therefore, be for the chief veterinary officer to conduct a risk assessment, having regard to the geographic location of those orders. I have a note of those by office: 20 of them are reported into my Inverurie office—although that covers various parts of the Highlands, not just the Inverurie area. The Inverness office covers 11 of the orders, including, I think, two that are in effect in Orkney. Nine orders are technically controlled from the Ayr office—those apply largely in the Dumfries area. One is dealt with through the Galashiels office.
Alex Johnstone will understand that it will be a difficult task to carry out a risk assessment of how to license movements that would not prejudice the possibility of an outbreak in the areas concerned. In a sense, Scotland will have a different regime, but that difference will be largely because we will have different considerations to take into account with regard to the input that the chief veterinary officer will make in carrying out that assessment.
Alex Johnstone asked about information. We are aware of the problem of information getting to the people concerned—unfortunately, those who have computer links have perhaps the best access at the moment. Wales, England and Scotland are sharing the release of information to a website, but members will appreciate that all the area offices of the Scottish Executive rural affairs department are doing their very best. Indeed, I think that they are coping extraordinarily well with the very high volume of inquiries that they are receiving.
Alex Johnstone's final point, which I know will also be of considerable interest to other members, was on the availability of disinfectant. I have already been in touch with the United Kingdom Agricultural Supply Trades Association—known to most of us as UKASTA—and just before I entered the chamber I received information that it has written to its suppliers, asking them to advise it if there are any bottlenecks or serious supply considerations. UKASTA has undertaken to do everything in its power to ensure that all its suppliers have adequate supplies of disinfectant for distribution to the farms concerned.
There is no question but that, earlier this week, a number of areas of Scotland were suffering quite badly from an absence of disinfectant, but I am very pleased by UKASTA's co-operation in trying to remedy that position.
I wish to express the support of the Scottish National Party for the measures that have been taken and our total support—which we have expressed from the outset—for the emergency measures, including the export ban.
I also express my appreciation to the minister, his staff, the veterinary surgeons and all those who have worked around the clock since the crisis began, both north and south of the border, to ensure that the aim of the eradication of this most contagious of animal diseases is achieved.
I received the courtesy of an advance copy of the statement an hour ago. I hope that I am not transgressing any rule by saying that that advance copy stated that 39 farms were under supervision, but the minister has revealed that since I received that copy that figure has gone up to 41, which illustrates the gravity of the situation that we face.
In supporting the measures that have been announced today, I urge the minister seriously to consider going further in three respects.
First, the minister should consider using the powers under section 7 of the Animal Health Act 1981 to introduce a programme of compulsory disinfection. I am sure that we have all heard stories—the evidence is perhaps anecdotal at this stage—that some people are not paying heed to the commonsense advice that is given. Indeed, I heard of one person who, instead of walking over straw doused with disinfectant, walked around it to avoid getting his feet wet. Is disinfectant available? Is it available in the areas in which it is most needed? That is an issue that is raising great concern in many parts of Scotland. Much more disinfectant will be needed if a programme of compulsory disinfection is considered necessary.
Secondly, it is obvious that the public, most of whom, like myself, are too young to remember the last outbreak in 1967, may not be aware of just how horrific this disease is. In echoing the concerns of the convener of the Rural Development Committee, I will go a little further by urging that the Executive and Her Majesty's Government consider running a television advertising campaign on both the BBC and independent commercial channels to advise the public, first, that there is no risk to human health from the consumption of meat and, secondly, of the dos and don'ts in this matter, such as the need to keep away from farm animals and the need for all farmers to remain vigilant. Such a television advertising campaign should commence before the weekend, when many people might otherwise be tempted to stray into areas into which they should not go.
Finally, on compensation, we welcome the announcements that have been made today, although agrimonetary compensation has nothing to do with foot-and-mouth disease, as is stated. Will the minister consider the economic catastrophe that faces our rural communities and the individual tragedy that faces many farmers, as well as the plight of hauliers whose businesses are devoted to carrying livestock and who have no alternative means of obtaining an income?
I hope that the minister will consider those points sympathetically, although I know that he cannot give definitive answers now. I hope that our approach of constructive opposition will be of some comfort to him and his department at this time.
I thank Fergus Ewing for his unequivocal support for the measures that we have introduced to deal with the situation. I also thank him for illustrating the rapidly moving situation in terms of the number of farms and cases that are involved by referring to the version of the statement that he received an hour ago.
On Fergus Ewing's first point about the possibility of using section 7 of the Animal Health Act 1981 to implement compulsory disinfection, that is a matter for the advice that I continue to receive from the chief veterinary officer. On an hourly basis—it seems to be even more often—we receive his advice on the situation that is developing. I am confident that that possibility is on his radar screen. I think that I already dealt with the question of the availability of disinfectant when I referred to the statement that was made to me as I entered the chamber on UKASTA's request that suppliers of disinfectant should tell it of any potential bottleneck. It has undertaken to try to ensure that there are adequate supplies of disinfectant throughout Scotland.
On Fergus Ewing's second point about a television advertising campaign, we are prepared to consider any form of further public information that we believe might be necessary. In my statement, I emphasised that although I have taken powers to restrict movement and to close footpaths, those powers are fairly draconian and I would envisage them being used only in the event that an actual case of foot-and-mouth disease was confirmed in Scotland.
I am happy to consult the chief veterinary officer as to whether he thinks other public information is required. I am bound to say that I do not normally feel comfortable about wide press publicity. On this occasion, however, I think that it has been highly commendable, as it has drawn the issue to the attention of a very wide range of the public. Regrettably, we have a few instances—but only a few—of people ignoring the regulations that are in place.
I have two points to make about Fergus Ewing's third and final point on compensation. The first is that I have been pressing for compensation, and I am glad that the United Kingdom Government is coming forward with what, I think, will be a very necessary package.
Secondly, Fergus Ewing should be aware that in sectors that are already subsidised, there are real difficulties in constructing compensation schemes that overcome the state aid regulations. Those who have a close knowledge of the pig industry will know that it has taken almost a year to get proper clearance for the pig restructuring scheme. One is therefore not optimistic about trying to get another scheme through the European Commission in a relatively short space of time. I believe that utilising an existing mechanism, which is entirely consistent with the state aid regulation, is the right way of doing that. I am keeping my eye on the wider ramifications of what could be a very serious issue. If the situation remains the same for very much longer, naturally I will keep the issue of compensation in mind.
Members will be aware that this important statement is an emergency statement, and that it eats into the debate that is to follow, which is already heavily oversubscribed. I appeal to members and the minister for very short questions and answers.
I thank the minister for his statement and express my support for the measures that he has taken. Our overriding concern must be for the farmers and their families in rural areas, who are going through a period of great anxiety at the moment.
Would it be useful to consider setting up temporary abattoirs in rural areas to allow animals to enter the food chain without having to travel great distances? That could help those farmers who are not directly affected by foot-and-mouth disease. It could also help the supply of Scottish and British products in the food chain.
Will the minister give advice on what action should be taken by members of the public? For example, people who use airports and railway stations may come into contact with people from other areas. Are there any steps that they should be taking?
I can well understand Rhoda Grant's desire for Scottish and British products to have some access to the food chain. Since we are dealing here with a critical matter of public health, I am bound to say that, given the essential nature of the other controls that must be put in place before any ordinary abattoir would meet the required standards, I would be very dubious indeed about our being able to construct temporary abattoirs that would meet a different, but equally essential, set of public health regulations. I understand where Rhoda Grant is coming from on that, but we would be kidding ourselves if we thought that we could put in place an arrangement that would meet the required standards.
Rhoda Grant also asked what the general public should do. Since there is a very rare risk of individuals being associated with infection—a point that was made by Fergus Ewing, I think—if members of the general public have been close to livestock or have been on premises that are inhabited by livestock, the whole process of disinfecting themselves as they leave and enter those premises is just as applicable to them as it is to those who actually work on farms.
Like everybody else, I welcome the steps that are already in place and I congratulate the rural affairs department on the speed with which it has acted in this case. The minister suggested that there was sufficient information, or lots of information, being sent out on the radio, on television and by information technology. I wonder whether another measure might be to send a simple one-page letter in an envelope to all the livestock producers to advise them on the steps that they can take to contain the spread of the disease among their livestock.
I am happy to consider that proposal. I will consult our area offices, as I do not wish to put an unnecessary burden on them if we have already disseminated a fair level of information. I want them to concentrate on dealing with inquiries and on being on farms, where they are required. However, I will certainly look into John Farquhar Munro's proposal.
I also welcome the minister's statement.
I understand that much of the focus is on the agricultural industry and on farming in particular. However, animal haulage is now a pretty specialised activity. For example, animals now require to be transported in specialised wagons and there is specialised training for the wagon operatives. I understand that an articulated lorry costs around £4,000 a week, while a driver is paid an average of about £300 a week. There are other overheads and approximately 300 wagons operate in Scotland—
Mr Crawford, I appealed for short questions.
I am coming to my question right now, Presiding Officer.
What plans are there for emergency support for the haulage industry? Once that element of the delivery mechanism is gone, it might be difficult to get it back.
I will be absolutely blunt: I have no such immediate plans. To be frank, my immediate plans are to contain this disease in a way that enables me to exercise the powers that I propose to extend on Thursday night or Friday morning so that we can introduce licensing. That would be the first step in bringing back into play those in the haulage industry, as it would allow some direct movement between farms and abattoirs to begin.
I believe that I addressed the general issue three questions ago. I am keeping my eye on the wider consequences. The best remedy for getting the haulage industry back on the road is for us to concentrate on the existing measures, which might give us the hope of an early resumption of some movement, under licence, from farms to abattoirs.
I will make three brief points.
First, will the minister ensure that the media play their full part in informing the public of the role that they can play in helping to limit the spread of this disease? Last Saturday morning, I was horrified to hear an announcement on BBC Radio Scotland that the public would be welcome to walk anywhere in Scotland's rural areas.
Secondly, given the minister's understandable desire, which is absolutely correct, to postpone the launch of the forward strategy for agriculture, will the Executive consider postponing its access consultation proposals until the full lessons have been learned from the appalling situation that we are in?
Thirdly, will the minister consider allowing farmers to protect, by putting down disinfected straw, those unfenced areas of their farms that are crossed by minor roads? I gather that the police do not allow that to take place, but it would be helpful.
I am satisfied that the incident last Saturday was isolated and we are now receiving very full co-operation from the media—that is certainly the case with all the media events that we have monitored since then. We have been satisfied with the responsible way in which the Scottish media have dealt with the situation and warned the public.
On Alex Fergusson's second point, I am postponing the launch of the agricultural strategy simply because it would be wholly inappropriate to discuss a forward strategy when the industry and those closely involved in it are feeling such pain. There is no read-across to a consultative process on a document that will form legislation at a much later stage. We are in a process of consultation on access that is in no way affected by the current situation and I do not agree with Alex Fergusson.
I have noted Alex Fergusson's point on the question of laying down disinfectant on minor roads and will take it up separately.
I express the widespread support of my farming constituents for the measures that have been taken. I welcome the introduction of the system of licensed movements from farms to abattoirs. That system is important, given the huge backlog of livestock that is starting to build up.
I ask the minister to turn his mind to looking a little further ahead. We support the further two-week suspension of livestock movement, but I remind the minister that, at this time of year, there is a huge transfer of livestock from the west to the east of the country as store producers sell on their cattle from the breeding farms to the finishing farms.
Although I fully support the suspension of movement at the moment, if foot-and-mouth disease is not under control in two weeks' time, we will have to consider the impact on breeding farms of not being able to shift livestock. Most breeding farms are about to start calving for the coming year. There will be a severe shortage of housing and feeding if animals are kept on farm unsold while the mothers are calving down. Has there been any consideration of whether the system of licensed movement could be extended to breeding farms, if, in two weeks' time, we have not got to grips with foot-and-mouth disease?
I am all too well aware of the issue that George Lyon raises of cattle moving on for finishing—in some areas, calving has just begun. I cannot give him a definitive answer. Fergus Ewing said that this was a very rapidly moving situation. My priorities are to deal with matters for the next fortnight; however, my department is aware of the issue that Mr Lyon raises and of the need for us to think ahead and have contingency plans. I take Mr Lyon's point, and I understand the difficulty that will arise if, in a fortnight or just over a fortnight's time, we have no further developments. I will be guided by the advice of the chief veterinary officer as to what measures he regards as safe, consistent with eradicating foot-and-mouth disease.
I welcome the minister's statement. I also wish to express my dismay that two farms in my constituency are awaiting test results. I can only hope that they are negative.
Has the Executive any definitive information on the origin of the outbreak, given that there are many rumours on how this particular strain got into the UK? Can the minister reassure us that the Scottish Executive and the UK Government are drawing up plans to reinvigorate the meat and livestock industry once this epidemic is over?
I have no further information on the exact source of the disease. UK ministers are absolutely convinced that the sources of distribution are the farm at Heddon-on-the-Wall and the abattoir in Essex. All the cases that are under supervision orders result directly from the excellent work that has been carried out by agricultural and veterinary staff in tracing movements from those two sources. The precise source of the disease has still not been determined, but the sources of distribution are Heddon-on-the-Wall and the abattoir in Essex.
The second question was about whether we would help the industry once this crisis is over. The answer to that is yes. The starting point for that was for the UK Government, in consultation with the devolved Administrations, to draw down the maximum agrimonetary compensation and give a sense of hope that some £30 million will be available to Scottish agriculture in the immediate future.
I have a question on the European Union, state aids and compensation. Will the minister bear in mind the fact that some areas of Germany got compensation for swine fever?
Yes, I am very aware of that fact. Even before the swine fever outbreak, there was a catastrophic collapse in the pig industry. It is a great regret that it took 10 or 11 months for the pig restructuring scheme to get past its various hoops and hurdles and be put in place. It seems to me that using the agrimonetary vehicle—which is assured and not open to challenge—will mean that cash can get to farmers who need it earlier than might have been the case.
I must declare an interest, as I am a farmer. The minister said that nine supervision orders were being administered through SERAD's Ayr office at Russell House. How many of those affect Ayrshire farms? Will the licensing measures that the minister intends to put in place from next Friday guarantee the continuity of the food supply?
I regret that the best way in which we could get the latest figures in this ever-moving situation was on the basis of our offices rather than individual cases. I hope that we can get that information to John Scott.
I would be a very foolish minister if I were to start to give guarantees in this situation. It is my earnest hope that, given the CVO's risk assessment and the state of play on supervision orders and the other farms that require examination, if we can work out a licensing arrangement that could be properly supervised and does not cut across cases that are already under examination, it will make a sizeable contribution towards reopening the food chain. That is my hope, but it would be wrong for me to guarantee it. My overriding priority is to eliminate foot-and-mouth disease—that must come first.
Like Dr Murray, I would like to look forward. We all know of the unrivalled reputation of the quality of Scottish meat and Scottish meat products. Can the minister assure me that once we are clear of this dreadful episode, the Scottish Executive will make every effort to underpin and promote Scottish meat and Scottish meat products at home and abroad, especially in respect of our overseas markets?
I have no difficulty in giving Jamie Stone that assurance. Quality Meat Scotland had moves in hand to re-emphasise that and had it not been for the onset of the disease, that initiative would already be in train. I suspect that that is now on hold.
The real difficulty will be the public fear that is caused by foot-and-mouth disease. As we know, but as the wider public do not know or recognise, foot-and-mouth disease has no read-across to human health. Educating the wider public will be an enormous job. Once we have established that we have eradicated the disease, we must remind the public that there is no read-across to human health and get on with the business of promoting the high quality of Scottish beef.
I apologise to members—of all parties—whom I have not been able to call to speak. The following debate is heavily oversubscribed and we have already eaten into its allotted time.