To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs what support is currently available to farmers with animals affected by sheep scab.

Sheep scab is a notifiable disease in Northern Ireland (NI), Scotland and the Republic of Ireland (RoI). It is a production disease of sheep caused by a parasitic mite and can be treated.

There is currently no financial compensation payable upon confirmation of sheep scab in a flock. My Department does, however, provide a range of practical support and advice to industry and individual affected flock keepers, in order to minimise disease spread. The DAERA website provides details on the disease including clinical signs, how the disease is spread and key advice to industry on preventing spread.

My officials keep the control of the disease under review in partnership with industry, stakeholders, affected flock keepers and through cooperation with our colleagues in Great Britain (GB) and the RoI. In addition, they have also been engaging with the local industry-led initiative, the NI Sheep Scab Control and Eradication Group, to establish a way forward for detecting, further preventing and eradicating the disease in NI.