To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) tests and (b) prototype tests for the presence of vCJD in blood are (i) available and (ii) the subject of research; and if she will make a statement. (140982)

There is currently no licensed blood screening test for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD). The performance of a number of prototype vCJD assays is being evaluated, and the results of this process will be available later in the year.