To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to control the spread of sheep scab.

Preventing, detecting and eradicating animal disease is a primary objective of my Department. Sheep scab is one such (production) disease, which is notifiable in Northern Ireland (NI), in Scotland and the Republic of Ireland (RoI).

In the five years from 2015 to 2020, there have been 33 cases of sheep scab reported to my Department.

The DAERA website provides detail on the disease including clinical signs, how the disease is spread and key advice to industry on preventing spread. My Department also provides a range of practical support and advice to industry and individual affected flock keepers, in order to minimise spread.

Upon suspicion or confirmation of sheep scab disease, the Department applies a restriction on the affected flock restricting all movements off the premises; however licences may be granted to allow animals to move to slaughter.

The restriction on the flock is not lifted by DAERA until the private veterinary surgeon who is responsible for the flock demonstrates that a thorough disease investigation has taken place, and that all necessary actions have been completed.

My officials keep the control of the disease under review in partnership with industry, stakeholders, and affected flock keepers, 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.