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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure the availability of a vaccine against Schmallenberg virus.

There are two vaccines authorised for use in the UK for Schmallenberg virus.

The decision on whether to develop and market a veterinary medicine is a commercial one for those pharmaceutical companies wishing to invest the necessary capital.

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) will accept applications to import Schmallenberg vaccines authorised outside of the UK to facilitate availability.

Since the recurrence of the disease, the Government has been in dialogue with one of the Marketing Authorisation Holders of the UK authorised vaccines to discuss their plans for resuming manufacture and marketing.