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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of exclusion zones in preventing the spread of Blue Tongue Virus.

The Department continually assesses the effectiveness of bluetongue disease control measures, including restricted zones, using surveillance data, outbreak evidence and the latest scientific and veterinary advice. Bluetongue is primarily spread by biting midges. Vaccination, rather than movement controls therefore, remains the most effective medium and long-term control measure against bluetongue.

Restricted zones are intended to reduce the risk of disease spread by limiting the movement of higher-risk animals from affected areas into unaffected areas. The whole of England is now considered to be at risk from Bluetongue. The location and extent of disease control zones are kept under regular review and adjusted where necessary in response to the evolving disease situation.