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Bluetongue Virus: Disease Control

Asked by Edward MorelloLiberal DemocratDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled Answered 4 September 2026UIN 25135

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of out of hours environment agency staff to respond to blue tongue virus reports.

Answered by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Responsibility for responding to reports of bluetongue virus rests with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). Where required, the Environment Agency (EA) supports APHA on regulatory, waste management and pollution prevention issues, including ensuring that any waste arising from disease control activities is managed in accordance with the law. The EA maintains a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week incident response capability across England, enabling timely response to incidents that present serious or significant risks to the environment.

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