More BSE News from UK

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> Headline: WHY TORIES' CHOSE LOW-KEY START TO BSE CRISIS _ BY MAC

> Wire Service: PA (PA News)

> Date: Tue, Dec 1, 1998

>

> Copyright 1998 PA News. Copying, storing, redistribution,

> retransmission,

> publication, transfer or commerical exploitation of this information is

> expressly forbidden.

>

>

> By Eileen , Consumer Affairs Correspondent, PA News

> Former Conservative Agriculture Minister MacGregor is set to tell

> the inquiry investigating the mad cow disease crisis that his Government

> decided to keep a " low profile " on the BSE outbreak until it had

> scientific details.

> Mr MacGregor, who was Minister between 1987 and July 1989, is due to

> give evidence to the London inquiry tomorrow (Wednesday).

> In a written statement, he said: " BSE was, of course, a very important

> issue, identified early on as a high priority and took up a great deal of

> time, particularly once we believed that we had identified its likely

> cause. "

> He first became aware of the disease in July 1987 in a Parliamentary

> submission, six months after it first became properly identified in the

> UK.

> Mr MacGregor said: " The submission informed us of an emerging disease

> amongst cattle, what was being done to investigate the problem and how any

> publicity was being handled to ensure that it was responsible and

> well-informed.

> " The cause of the disorder was unknown. It was not yet known whether

> it was transmissible but the submission stated there was no evidence that

> it was transmissible to humans. "

> The former minister said that his recollection was at that time BSE was

> viewed as primarily an animal health problem with the focus on diagnosis

> and eradication.

> Scientists had warned the Government that although there was no

> evidence the disease could be caught by humans it would take " many years "

> before it could definitely be established whether the disease was

> transmissible to man.

> According to the statement, by 1988 Government scientists had made the

> link that the disease was derived from animal material in feedstuff and

> submitted that the disease be made notifiable and the adoption of a policy

> of slaughter and compensation for infected animals.

> Mr MacGregor said: " I indicated that I was cautious about action to be

> taken and that we needed to consider expenditure because it was clear that

> this would have to be taken into account not only in the first year

> estimates but also in future years. "

> Mr MacGregor said the feeling at the time was to " maintain a low

> profile until the position was clearer " .

> Soon after Ministers were notified that meat and bonemeal derived from

> sheep material was the source of disease and in 1988 BSE became notifiable

> and the use of animal feed in ruminant feeds prohibited.

> A 50% compensation scheme for farmers was also introduced for the

> compulsory slaughter for infected cattle.