Gordon Brown has promised that the Government will “contain and control” the outbreak of foot and mouth disease on a Surrey farm.
Speaking to journalists following the fifth meeting of the emergency Cobra group since Friday, the Prime Minister said that the authorities were working hard to discover how the disease had been transmitted and that “intensive work” would be taking place in the area around the affected premises.
The Prime Minister said:
“The whole strategy is to contain, then control and then eradicate this disease. Our first priority, having identified potential sources of the disease, is now to find the transmission mechanism.
“Every measure is being taken so we have the biosecurity we need.”
Mr Brown acknowledged that the Merial company was a “potential source” and that manufacturing involving the strain of foot and mouth found at the farm had taken place on 16 July. The whole of the laboratory site, which includes the Institute for Animal Health, would be inspected by the Health and Safety Inspectorate and results should be known within 48 hours, he said.
In separate statements, the directors of Merial Animal Health and IAH said there had been no breach of procedures at their establishments.
Earlier the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs confirmed that cows on separate sites within the affected farming complex, showing no sign of infection, had been culled in line with containment procedure.