A new report from National audit office (NAO) warns that the government is not sufficiently prepared for the rising risk of the government Animal diseaseAnd will struggle to manage a large outbreak.
Like animal disease bird fluBluetong, and African swine fever creates significant threats for England’s agricultural sector, Food securityHuman health, and the wildlifeThe costs associated with an outbreak can increase in billions of pounds, the report states.
The price of the 2001 legs and mouth outbreaks is an estimated £ 13.8 billion in today’s prices, making farming businesses disastrous and leading to the slaughter of thousands of animals. The rural areas were discontinued for entertainment and tourism.
Since 2020, 7.2 million birds have been placed in the outbreaks of avian flu, which have destroyed wild seabard colonies across the UK.
NAO admitted that the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DFRA) and Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) Work hard to deal with recent outbreaks,
However, the Watchdog said that these public bodies would probably struggle with a more severe outbreak or concurrent severe outbreak.
A report by the NAO warned that long-term flexibility for livestock in livestock is being constantly reduced by the authorities to focus continuously-and there is no long-term strategy to improve the condition.
There are significant gaps in contingency schemes for outbreaks, and plans for specific diseases have not been updated with the latest conclusions, with its strategy to compete with not updated legs and mouth disease since 2011.
Only 5 percent of the physical check of live animal imports is going on, all the end customers are being held at the destination, against the target of 100 percent check border controlTaking the risk of “foreign” diseases coming from abroad.
The report stated that the fifth places in APHA are empty, and the government’s major animal science laboratory in Vibridge has a “very high” risk of site failure.
The report states that while the redevelopment program of £ 2.8 billion in Vybridge is now on track, the main new laboratory features will not be distributed for another 10 years.
The report found that Deefra thought there was a “too much” risk of outbreak, for which it would be unable to react effectively, but it lacks a long -term strategy and action plan to improve flexibility for animal disease, and many of its activities are reactive rather than part of a consistent plan.
A comprehensive livestock movement trace system – significant once infection is detected – lacking, with the cost of an advanced scheme, now due to rising costs and lack of funding, it is estimated to be £ 563 million amid concerns on distributing it, while there are issues with vaccine supply.
Nao’s head Gareth Davis said: “Deefra has evaluated that the risk of an outbreak for which it will be unable to react effectively is above the level that considers it to bear, but it has not determined a way to reduce this risk.
“There is an immediate need for a long-term strategy and action plan to protect the national economic flexibility as well as food security, human health and rural communities.”
Sir Geoffri Clift-Browon, chairman of the parliamentary committee of public accounts, said: “Despite some good work to identify new threats, the government’s preparation capacity, skills and lack of long-term strategy for future major outbreaks are being interrupted.
“The government’s failure to investigate animals imports is also threatening bio -safety on the border.
“In recent years, flexibility has not been tested for a serious outbreak, but the danger is ever increasing because our livestock becomes more sensitive to the disease.
“Without changes in the current operating system, there is a very real risk that the government will not be able to respond effectively.”
Bio -Safety Minister Baronon Hamon said: “This government’s commitment to maintain the bio -safety of the country in front of the rising risks of the disease is unbreakable – whatever we will do to protect our farmers and the economy, we will do it.
“We took immediate action to ban the individual imports of meat and dairy from Europe after a wave of legs and mouth cases on the continent and after years of underworcement, we are investing £ 200 million at a new National Bio Safety Center.”
