Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the impact of the recent outbreak of the bluetongue virus on farmers' profits as a result of loss of livestock.

It is too early to say what the wider impacts on the industry will be, including profitability. 121 cases of Bluetongue serotype 3 have been found to date and 54 animals were culled to stem potential disease spread - full market compensation for those animals was paid to these keepers. Market impacts of animal disease are a risk carried by the industry. However, the Government seeks to minimise that risk, particularly by taking prompt action to ensure that the risk of spread of the disease is reduced. We also continue to work closely with industry bodies to ensure that matters of concern are addressed promptly.