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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to prevent the spread of bluetongue BTV3 disease among animals in England.

Defra’s disease control measures aim to limit the spread of infection, whilst balancing the burdens of controls against the benefits of eradication of bluetongue.

Defra acted quickly to contain bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) when the first case was detected on 26 August 2024, implementing zones with movement controls on susceptible livestock to prevent spread. These disease control restrictions have been adapted in response to new findings and there is now a single restricted zone (RZ) covering the whole of England. This change was made because the area in England where disease has been found is now too large for movement restrictions to remain an effective and proportionate way of controlling the disease.

Vaccination remains the most effective long-term approach for reducing the impacts of bluetongue disease throughout the UK. Defra has permitted the use of vaccines for BTV-3 and these vaccines are now widely available for vets to prescribe in England.

We urge farmers to consider vaccination in consultation with their private vet.

Defra and APHA continue to test animals with suspect clinical signs and remain vigilant for any new serotypes or changes in clinical signs, and are working closely with key industry stakeholders to review how we approach controls for BTV-3.