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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps (a) the Government and (b) her Department are taking with devolved authorities to develop a sheep scab control programme covering the UK.

The UK Chief Veterinary Officer and Devolved Administrations work collaboratively on all areas of animal disease. However, animal health is a devolved matter. Sheep Scab is addressed in different ways across the devolved nations, for example in Scotland where it is a notifiable disease. It is therefore appropriate that each nation of the United Kingdom treats Sheep Scab in the way that fits best with their priorities.