Minister’s response on bluetongue restrictions is 'unconvincing and of no comfort to NI farmers' - Allister

Northern Ireland farmers have found themselves out of pocket due to the restrictions, which have prevented animals bought in GB being transported to the province.

Writing to the DEFRA Secretary of State, the North Antrim MLA highlighted the plight of several constituents whose farming endeavours are “blighted with the bluetongue related restrictions on imports from GB to NI”.

“Now that the restricted zone in southern England has been lifted, why are my constituent’s livestock continuing to be blocked from moving to my part of the United Kingdom, with huge resulting costs to keep the stock in GB?” Mr Allister asked.

“Cattle can move from France through GB to NI, but not from GB if they originate there. This is beyond reason.

“Accordingly, I urge swift action to resolve the matter and reinstate exports.”

Lord Douglas Miller, the minister responsible for this policy area, responded to Mr Allister, stating: “The findings of Bluetongue serotype 3 in England mean that GB is no longer recognised as free of Bluetongue disease. Though the Temporary Control Zones that were in place in Kent and Norfolk have been recently lifted, those zones did not denote the areas outside were free of Bluetongue.”

He continued: “As you know, there have been longstanding arrangements in place, since well before the UK left the EU, to protect the single epidemiological area on the island of Ireland. Those arrangements recognised the critical importance of the livestock industry to lives and livelihoods in NI. We continue to not be prepared to take steps that would jeopardise animal health in NI.

“As such, movements will be possible only subsequent to GB obtaining country freedom; there being verified free zones confirmed by robust epidemiologically valid surveillance; or the establishment of a vaccination programme. The first is not the case given the cases we have seen. On free zones, as we continue to manage animals that pose a disease risk, and as we are also expecting further disease when the weather warms up, it would not be an effective or appropriate time to move to free zone surveillance. On the vaccine, there are live discussions with vaccine manufacturers taking place to ascertain if, and when, a vaccine for this serotype may become available. Given those conditions, we will continue to act prudently to support industry in NI. But we will of course continue to keep stakeholders up to date on developments should any of these conditions change,” Lord Douglas Miller added.

Having raised with Defra the ongoing bluetongue restrictions on cattle stranded in GB, having been purchased by NI farmers and now having to be held in GB at huge costs, Mr Allister said he is “disappointed by the response received”.

“I find the minister’s response of 10 April 2024 wholly unconvincing and of no comfort, or hope, to farmers in Northern Ireland who purchased cattle in safe zones, for example Scotland, but have seen them stranded for months in GB at unsustainable cost,” he commented.

“There is an obvious incongruity between affirming the end of restricted zones and the continuing GB-wide classification as not country free. Are there, or have there been, any live cases outside Kent and Norfolk? This is a question I am asking of the minister.

“The incongruity continues with the acknowledgement that cattle from France can freely pass through GB to NI, but cattle from GB can’t! Why can’t the same precautions of ‘vehicle being cleansed, disinfected, and treated with insecticide’ be deployed for transfers from safe areas in GB to NI?”

Mr Allister continued: “It seems to me inordinate and unwarranted restraints are being placed on inter-UK trade for no justifiable reason. Accordingly, I have written further to the minister raising these issues. I have also asked him to address how EU restrictions, applied through the Protocol and treating NI as EU territory, impacts on this situation.

“The lack of urgency in addressing these issues is very disappointing.”