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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has produced a risk assessment in relation to the potential spread of foot and mouth by hostile actors.

Maintaining biosecurity is a key priority for the Government and biosecurity risks are assessed on a regular basis, including through the National Risk Register, to ensure preparedness plans align with the threat landscape. The Biological Security Strategy provides an effective framework to ensure UK resilience against a range of malicious and naturally occurring biosecurity risks.

Defra possesses effective measures to detect new and emerging threats, including the incursion of FMD and actively works with other government departments and the sector through the Veterinary Risk Group (VRG) and the Human and Animal Infections Risk Surveillance (HAIRS) Group. Defra continues to adapt its policies as required and remains committed to protecting the UK’s biosecurity and livestock sector.

Robust measures to maintain and improve Defra’s ability to understand, detect, prevent, respond and recover from foot and mouth disease outbreaks are set out in the Foot and Mouth Disease Control Strategy for Great Britain supported by the Contingency plan for exotic notifiable diseases of animals in England.