Statement

- 23rd May 1997

The Committee reviewed the position since the advice it tendered to Government in July 1996 on the precautions necessary to protect the public from the theoretical risk of BSE in sheep. At that time it recommended action on brains, which was taken by the UK Government in September 1996, and that the issue be considered further with EU partners. The Committee noted that the EU Commission tried to introduce measures which would go beyond those adopted in the UK in that they would:

  1. prohibit the use in human or animal feed of:

    1. the spinal cord from older sheep and goats (those with one or more permanent incisors);

    2. the spleen from all sheep and goats;

  2. prohibit the production of MRM from the vertebral column of all sheep and goats.

The EU measures were not adopted although SEAC notes that the Commission stated on 14 May 1997 that the case for these measures was stronger than ever and is insisting on their adoption.

SEAC agrees that these measures are prudent and that it has now been established that there are practical methods for removing the spinal cord of older sheep. It therefore advises the UK Government that early action should be taken to introduce these measures, preferably on an EU wide basis but if agreement in Europe is not achieved quickly, unilateral action by the UK is recommended.

The Committee also re-iterated its concerns that the surveillance of scrapie needs to be improved. It endorsed a three part strategy encompassing:

  1. compulsory slaughter of suspect cases with compensation and powers of veterinary investigation of cases and associated flocks;

  2. a survey of appropriate tissues from sheep and goats from abattoirs in the UK for signs of scrapie;

  3. a postal survey of sheep and goat farmers.

SEAC also considered the issue of imports into the UK of material containing tissues from bovine central nervous system (CNS) in the light of existing controls on cattle risk materials in the UK and elsewhere. It took into account the EU Commission s assessment of surveillance and control in other Member States. SEAC concluded that action should be taken to extend, within the UK, controls on specified bovine material (SBM) to imports of CNS or bovine material containing CNS from the EU, and from third countries - other then those where there is no known risk of BSE. Again, it would be preferable if action could be taken on an EU wide basis but if agreement in Europe is not achieved quickly, unilateral action by the UK is recommended.

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