Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Intervention Board : BSE, the cost of a crisis report / by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

  • National Audit Office
Date:
1998
Catalogue details

Licence: Open Government Licence

Credit: Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Intervention Board : BSE, the cost of a crisis report / by the Comptroller and Auditor General. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    13/130 (page 7)
    On cattle traceability Ee] =A system for identifying animals and recording their movements was another of the European Union’s requirements for lifting the export ban on British beef. It is clear that the systems in place before the BSE crisis for tracing animals for disease control purposes, while adequate for their purpose at that time, were not suitable for the more demanding task of implementing the Selective Cull. A computerised traceability system would have enabled the Ministry to act more effectively. The Ministry is now addressing this problem through the institution of cattle passports and the development of a computerised cattle traceability system. [Paragraphs 3.37 to 3.48] Administrative and other issues On the incineration and disposal of stored meat and bone meal EZ] The Intervention Board is facing significant problems over the disposal of meat and bone meal. Almost 260,000 tonnes of this material was in storage at the end of September 1997, at a cost by that date of £7 million (excluding transport), and it is likely to increase by at least 65,000 tonnes a year. Efforts by the Board to obtain sufficient incineration capacity at reasonable cost have not been successful. Expert advice is that it is safe to landfill meat and bone meal. This would be a cheaper option but would need European Union approval as the Over Thirty Month Scheme regulations are interpreted by the European authorities as requiring incineration. The Board is currently reviewing disposal options, concerning stocks of meat and bone meal which may take five years to dispose of. [Paragraphs 4.5 to 4.13] On reimbursements from the European Union 2] The reimbursements due under the Over Thirty Month Scheme are dependent on the destruction of each animal - interpreted by the European authorities as requiring incineration. Because of the capacity problems described above, this condition posed problems for the Ministry, and they negotiated an agreement whereby 80 per cent of the European Community contribution would be paid after the animal had been rendered. [Paragraphs 4.17 to 4.18]