20 Jan 2025
Allister Webb
Job TitleFears over the return of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) to Europe must act as a “wake-up call” to improve the UK’s biosecurity infrastructure, a vet and MP has warned.
The stark message was delivered following confirmation of the first FMD case in Germany for nearly 40 years and the first anywhere in the EU since 2011.
Although the BCVA has welcomed import restrictions imposed in response to the outbreak, the incident has focused fresh attention on the future of the APHA’s Weybridge headquarters in Surrey.
Vet and shadow Defra minister Neil Hudson drew on his own experiences of the 2001 FMD outbreak as he addressed the present situation on 15 January.
Having been granted an urgent question on the issue, he said news of the infection had sent “shockwaves” through both the UK and Europe.
He continued: “This Foot and Mouth Disease wake-up call is yet more evidence that the Government must now commit to fully fund the redevelopment of the APHA HQ in Weybridge.
“I call and I urge the Government from the bottom of my heart to fully fund that redevelopment to make sure that the burning pyres of slaughtered animals, as well as the economic and mental health devastation of Foot and Mouth disease, remain resolutely confined to the history books.”
Liberal Democrat Alistair Carmichael, who chairs the EFRA select committee, also described the condition of the Weybridge site as “an urgent disgrace”.
He added: “Hopefully, this (FMD) is a bullet that we will dodge, but if we do, we know there is also the risk of African swine fever, bluetongue and avian influenza all coming.
“Is this the point where, across the House, we can all agree on the importance of biosecurity and the importance of funding it?”
Farming minister Daniel Zeichner insisted a £200 million package announced by the department last month showed the issue was being prioritised, despite claims that as much as £2.8 billion is needed to fully fund improvements.
Earlier, in response to Dr Hudson, he described that money as “initial” but added: “This is a debate we have been having for some time and I am afraid that we are working with the resources we have now.
“However, I am confident that we have a very good set of procedures in place to tackle any potential incursion.”
No new infections have been reported since the disease was discovered in a herd of water buffalo in the Brandenburg state on 10 January, though other animals have also been culled because of potential feed links.
But Defra’s assessment of the risk of an FMD incursion into the UK has been raised to medium in response to the developments, while the initial ban on importing German animals, meat and dairy products has been extended to prevent travellers from bringing in commercially packaged products from the country, as well as unpackaged meat and dairy products from EU and EFTA member states, plus the Faroe Islands and Greenland.
Although he said the Government would do whatever was necessary to protect the UK from the disease, Mr Zeichner stressed veterinary officials were already working closely across borders to prevent the disease from spreading, adding: “No one wants this to extend further.”
He also rejected claims the department had delayed taking action to restrict imports after the German case was first announced on 10 January, insisting it had acted as soon as they received details.
