MPs are to examine the handling of this season’s bluetongue outbreak after detections rose to more than 3,400 premises across England, Wales and Scotland. The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee has scheduled an evidence session for Tuesday 3 November, with testing delays, vaccine availability and the consequences for farmers among the issues expected to be raised.
The latest figures cited by Farmers Guide record bluetongue at 2,917 premises in England, 500 in Wales and 55 in Scotland. The figures cover premises where the disease has been detected and indicate the geographical scale of the current outbreak across Great Britain.
Evidence session will be split into two panels
The cross-party committee is due to hear first from representatives of the National Farmers Union and the British Veterinary Association. Questions are expected to focus on the effects of bluetongue on animal welfare, farmers and the wider livestock sector.
MPs are also expected to examine vaccination messaging issued earlier in the year. The committee will ask about the effectiveness of campaigns encouraging farmers to vaccinate susceptible flocks and herds, including whether misinformation about vaccines affected those campaigns.
- The first panel will consider animal welfare, farm impacts and vaccination campaigns.
- The second panel will examine the operational response from government agencies and research bodies.
- Issues expected to be raised include testing delays, vaccine cost and preparation for next year’s midge season.
The second panel will involve the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), the Pirbright Institute and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). Their evidence is expected to address how the outbreak was managed, including reports that some farmers waited for as long as three weeks for test results when disease activity was at its height.
Questions over testing and vaccination
The committee is also expected to ask whether the cost of vaccination discouraged uptake. That issue will be considered alongside the availability of vaccine and the effectiveness of public information provided to livestock keepers earlier in the year.
| Area | Latest figure or focus |
|---|---|
| England | 2,917 premises with bluetongue detected |
| Wales | 500 premises with bluetongue detected |
| Scotland | 55 premises with bluetongue detected |
| Reported testing delay | Up to three weeks at the height of the outbreak |
The hearing is also intended to consider what lessons can be taken forward before the next period of midge activity. The discussion will bring together farming and veterinary organisations with APHA, the Pirbright Institute and the VMD, allowing MPs to question both those representing livestock keepers and the bodies involved in disease surveillance, research and veterinary medicines.
For sheep farmers, the session will provide parliamentary scrutiny of issues that affect disease monitoring and vaccination decisions during a widespread bluetongue outbreak. The committee’s questions are expected to cover the reported testing delays, the availability and cost of vaccines, and whether preparations for the next midge season need to change.
