Originally from: Farmtalking
                        
http://u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?pt=n&id=23166

Foot and Mouth vaccination row

Margaret Beckett was facing questioning today over European Commission plans for enforced mass vaccination of animals in any repeat of Britain's foot-and-mouth crisis.

The proposals, due out next month, have been revealed as Euro MPs hear evidence from the Environment Secretary on how the UK government handled the crisis.

A European Parliament committee of inquiry is due to produce recommendations on how to tackle future outbreaks, and Labour MEPs have warned against Tories using the occasion for party political point scoring.

But the Commission`s new vaccination plans have provided fresh ammunition for Conservatives to attack the way the government dealt with the outbreak.

A mass vaccination policy was dismissed early on as the way to tackle the crisis, with the Government embarking instead on a controversial and costly mass slaughter programme.

Now the Commission`s proposal is being seen as an implicit condemnation of that approach.

``We will certainly be seeking a response from Mrs Beckett today on what seems to be confirmation from the Commission that the foot-and-mouth outbreak was not handled in the way the European experts would have done,`` said a Conservative spokesman in Brussels.

Tory MEP Neil Parish said the Commission plans suggested that the UK authorities should have been more ready to introduce vaccination as its main weapon against foot-and-mouth.

The Commission`s proposal is that in future Brussels would have the right to trigger a vaccination programme against the disease if it saw fit, even without the clearance of the EU country or countries directly affected by the outbreak.

The question of mass vaccination was constantly raised as an option during the foot-and-mouth crisis, but was rejected partly because the fact of vaccination – effectively introducing small doses of disease into animals – costs farmers their ``disease-free`` status in export markets.

But last year, although EU farm ministers once more rejected calls to embrace widespread vaccination as a central strategy, Germany and The Netherlands in particular urged a thorough review of EU animal health policy.

With public confidence in food production at a low ebb because of the foot-and-mouth outbreak, the Germans and Dutch said it was time to consider whether a policy of slaughter was still appropriate.

And pressure for an official vaccination approach followed new rules which reduce the impact of the loss of disease-free status if vaccination is introduced: the loss of status is cut from a year to six months and restriction applies to a more tightly defined region involved.

Mrs Beckett`s appearance before MEPs comes as the committee of inquiry nears the end of its work.

It is expected to produce recommendations – which will not be legally binding – before the end of the year.

EU food safety Commissioner David Byrne confirmed he was bringing forward proposals for mass vaccination, but said there had been ``deep misunderstandings`` about the best strategy for fighting animal disease.

He told the inquiry that the Commission remained of the view that vaccination of the ``entire susceptible livestock population`` was not advisable.

But he added: ``However, the Commission is of the view that emergency vaccination should be moved to the forefront of the response mechanism in the event of future outbreaks.``

Until now, he went on, vaccination had been seen as a ``weapon of last resort``, and it was time to alter that perception.

``The means are now available to distinguish vaccinated from infected animals. It is no longer acceptable to the public that large numbers of animals can be slaughtered and destroyed now that new diagnostic tests have been developed and are available which distinguish between infected and vaccinated animals.``

Mr Byrne said his forthcoming proposal on vaccination reflected these views but insisted: ``We should not be under any illusions – vaccination is not a solution to all our problems.``

He went on: ``While it must play a much more important future role, it cannot serve as an excuse to keep foot-and-mouth disease out of the EU and away from susceptible animals.

``Stamping out will remain the course of action for dealing with infected animals and dangerous contacts. It must also remain possible as a strategy for reducing the number of susceptible animals in the vicinity of an outbreak.``

Mrs Beckett refused to comment on the vaccination plan, insisting that she had not been informed of the proposals or its details.

But she pointed out that the Commission already has the power to trigger emergency vaccination of animals if it deemed it necessary during a disease outbreak.

Tory MEP and inquiry committee member Neil Parish said the Commission`s new plan reflected the ``total failure`` of the Government`s handling of the crisis.

``The Commission`s plan to take charge of a future outbreak reflect no confidence at all that this Government has the competence and can be trusted to cope.

``We all now need to see the Government`s own contingency plans which seem to remain one of the most tightly-kept secrets in Whitehall.``