To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many contracts which her Department and its agencies signed with companies to incinerate animal carcases under the over thirty months scheme have been cancelled since 1996; and if she will list the reasons for those cancellations. [101265]

24 contracts for the incineration of over thirty month scheme animal carcases have been cancelled since 1996. The reasons for cancellation, are as follows:

One contract was terminated for failure to comply with a contractual requirement to commence full operations, Eighteen contracts were terminated at the end of their term, with new contracts being introduced following a competitive tendering exercise; Five contracts terminated following the cessation of the foot and mouth emergency.