Prospect responds to new report on risk from animal disease

Responding to a new report from the National Audit Office on the risk of animal disease, Prospect Deputy General Secretary, Steve Thomas, said:

“This report lays bare the fact that Defra and APHA are not adequately prepared for severe outbreaks of disease and highlights the risks of under investing in the agencies that ensure our biosecurity and food security. Years of failing to adequately resource Defra and APHA mean that staff are now forced to deal with short term crises at the expense of longer-term risk management.

“Inadequate resourcing and a high vacancy rate, particularly among veterinary staff, is dragging staff away from the vital biosecurity surveillance work that supports billions of pounds in trade and is increasing the likelihood of disease outbreaks that could devastate the rural economy. The cost to the economy of the 2001 foot and mouth outbreak was estimated at £8 billion, we can’t risk a repeat of that damage.”