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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help manage recent cases of bluetongue virus in East Anglia.

Following the initial findings of cases of bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) virus in August 2024, Defra implemented a Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) around the affected premises and humanely culled infected animals to prevent potential spread.

Following confirmation of BTV-3 on further premises and evidence of local transmission of bluetongue virus, in accordance with the bluetongue disease control framework we replaced the TCZ with a Restricted Zone and are no longer culling animals. This Restricted Zone prevents all ruminants, camelids and their germinal products moving outside the zone, potentially spreading disease. The Restricted Zone initially covered Norfolk and Suffolk and was subsequently extended to Essex.

Defra has also permitted the use of vaccines for BTV-3, under certain circumstances, in the high-risk counties of south east England.