To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department has taken to stockpile vaccines against bluetongue serotypes (a) 1 and (b) 6; what recent assessment he has made of the level of risk for such serotypes to reach domestic livestock; and if he will make a statement. (274931)

Vaccines for bluetongue serotypes 1 and 6 are not currently licensed for use in the UK. DEFRA is in discussion with potential vaccine providers, the veterinary profession and industry stakeholders about plans for 2009 and beyond.

Meanwhile, DEFRA continues to work with other European member states for strict control measures to contain the threat of other BTV serotypes in Europe, and will continue to conduct double post-import tests on all imported animals for all bluetongue serotypes. We also have an agreed policy for controlling incursions of any new serotypes under the existing UK-wide bluetongue control strategy.

DEFRA remains alert to the spread of these, and other serotypes, through Europe, and monitors the risk carefully. Experts at the Institute of Animal Health, Pirbright, and meteorologists at the Meteorological Office provide advice on incursion scenarios which DEFRA uses to inform and revise policy as appropriate.

Nevertheless, the UK remains at risk from bluetongue, whether from re-emergence of domestic disease, from wind-borne spread from the continent, or through animal imports. This risk is likely to remain for some time, depending on the success of control measures in other countries.