Written questions, answers and statements

Swine Fever: Africa

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Question for Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

UIN 3820, tabled on 2 September 2024

Question

Dr Neil Hudson
Conservative
Epping Forest
Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of African swine fever on the pig industry.

Answer

Daniel Zeichner
Labour
Cambridge
Commons

Answered on

9 September 2024

Whilst we have never had an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in the UK, the risk level for an incursion of ASF is currently assessed as medium and we continue to prepare for an outbreak.

The practical impacts of a reasonable worst-case scenario outbreak of ASF were assessed in 2023 for the National Risk Register which is available on gov.uk.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) monitors the spread of ASF internationally and regularly publishes assessments of the risk posed to Great Britain. The latest assessment (published in June 2024) can be found as part of APHA's Animal diseases: international and UK monitoring collection on gov.uk. These assessments are used to review, and strengthen where necessary, measures to prevent ASF reaching the UK.

Answered by

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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