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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what work is being done by her Department to establish how epidemiological, genetic, meteorological and geographical evidence explain the pattern and speed of bluetongue virus serotype 3 transmission during the current outbreak.

Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) work closely with scientific partners to monitor and assess the spread of bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3). Epidemiological, meteorological, virus characteristics and geographical evidence is used to support disease surveillance and disease-control decisions, including improving understanding of disease patterns and vector activity. APHA is operationally supporting The Pirbright Institute in delivering enhanced bluetongue testing capacity, and accredited molecular diagnostic tests used by APHA support the detection and monitoring of virus circulation. This evidence-based approach helps inform the Government's response and ensures control measures remain under review as new information becomes available.