Blair 'expected' new disease clusters

Not out of the woods: Case total is still rising

Prime Minister Tony Blair has said that new clusters of foot-and-mouth disease had been "expected" by government scientists.

He warned that it was too early to relax efforts in fighting the disease.

New clusters of the disease in Lancashire and Cheshire have brought fears that the virus may continue to affect the UK for months to come.

Mr Blair also refused to commit to a public inquiry on the foot-and-mouth epidemic, but said lessons would have to be learned from the crisis.

Foot-and-mouth facts

Total number of confirmed foot-and-mouth cases in the UK 1,665 - One new case on Wednesday

3,095,000 animals slaughtered

63,000 animals awaiting slaughter

21,000 carcasses awaiting disposal

Speaking at a news conference, Mr Blair said: "We have constantly said that this disease is not over yet, that we shouldn't be complacent about it in any way at all.

"These type of sporadic outbursts are precisely what we expected in these circumstances and on each occasion we go in with the full resources of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Army in order to deal with it."

He said the decision on a formal inquiry should be made at "another time".

But he added: "Of course we must learn the lessons of the foot-and-mouth outbreak; exactly what happened, how it is that we deal with such things in the future. That is very important."

Another new case of foot-and-mouth has been confirmed in Cheshire - the third in as many days and six weeks after the last outbreak in the county.

The first cases of foot-and-mouth were confirmed on 20 February. Since then the case total has risen to 1,665, and the outbreak has seen more than three million animals slaughtered.

Click here for a map of the latest outbreaks.

In early May Mr Blair said the fight against the disease was on the "home straight", but the pre-election timing of the announcement drew criticism from farmers.

A Maff spokeswoman said all the new cases in Cheshire are related and movement restrictions have been imposed.

A cluster of cases in Lancashire - 20 miles from Settle in North Yorkshire where there are now 31 cases - has also fuelled fears the crisis may be far from over.

Ministry of Agriculture (Maff) officials believe the cluster of eight cases in the last week in Clitheroe, Lancs, may have spread down the Ribble Valley from the area around Settle.

Epidemiologist Professor Roy Anderson said the clusters had probably been triggered by the movement of farmers and their vehicles.

The National Farmers Union is concerned about the new outbreak because there had been no cases in the area for five weeks.

Meanwhile Devon farmers are planning to protest in Exeter on Wednesday over restrictions preventing them sending healthy livestock for slaughter.

According to the chairman of the south west branch of the National Beef Association, farmers want to send their cattle aged under 30 months to abattoirs.

Because of Maff movement restrictions, farmers face having their animals going over 30 months - when they would have to be rendered because of BSE controls, Bill Harper said.

Farmers 'need lifeline'

Rural businesses are losing an average of £20,000 per month with incomes down more than 50% on last year due to the foot-and-mouth crisis, according to a survey.

The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) said the survey carried out through its regional offices also showed job losses averaged 1.5 people per rural business.

Mark Hudson, spokesman for the CLA, was on Wednesday urging the Regional Development Agencies to throw a financial lifeline to hard-pressed businesses.

He said the RDAs should use the relief funds made available to counter the impact of the disease to meet loan interest payments.

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