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| Foot-and-mouth 'traced to pipe' | Foot-and-mouth 'traced to pipe' |
| (1 day later) | |
| Investigators say the virus that led to the foot-and-mouth outbreak in Surrey had probably been present in a pipe on the nearby Pirbright laboratory site. | Investigators say the virus that led to the foot-and-mouth outbreak in Surrey had probably been present in a pipe on the nearby Pirbright laboratory site. |
| Health and Safety Executive findings, given to the BBC, identified biosecurity lapses at the site. | Health and Safety Executive findings, given to the BBC, identified biosecurity lapses at the site. |
| It said the pipe, which runs from pharmaceutical firm Merial to a plant operated by a government-run lab, may have been damaged by tree roots. | It said the pipe, which runs from pharmaceutical firm Merial to a plant operated by a government-run lab, may have been damaged by tree roots. |
| Merial said it could not comment until the report was officially published. | Merial said it could not comment until the report was officially published. |
| It said it "cannot speculate on pipes or anything else". | It said it "cannot speculate on pipes or anything else". |
| It is believed the pipe may have been damaged by tree roots before flooding pushed virus traces to the surface. | It is believed the pipe may have been damaged by tree roots before flooding pushed virus traces to the surface. |
| It is not known how the virus found its way on to farmland a few miles away following the flooding on 20 July. | |
| See layout of laboratory complexes at Pirbright siteEnlarge Image | See layout of laboratory complexes at Pirbright siteEnlarge Image |
| But the HSE investigation did establish that contractors working at Pirbright at the time travelled to and from the site using a country road adjoining the farmland where the first outbreak was detected in August. | But the HSE investigation did establish that contractors working at Pirbright at the time travelled to and from the site using a country road adjoining the farmland where the first outbreak was detected in August. |
| A Merial spokesman said: "The report comes out on Friday. [Until] that comes out and we know what's what - and there's no way we'll know before then - we can't speculate." | A Merial spokesman said: "The report comes out on Friday. [Until] that comes out and we know what's what - and there's no way we'll know before then - we can't speculate." |
| The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it did not comment on leaked reports, but a spokeswoman said: "There are lessons for all of us to learn." | The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it did not comment on leaked reports, but a spokeswoman said: "There are lessons for all of us to learn." |
| Ongoing talks | Ongoing talks |
| The Pirbright lab complex is shared by the Institute for Animal Health (IAH), an international diagnostic laboratory, and the private pharmaceutical company Merial Animal Health. | The Pirbright lab complex is shared by the Institute for Animal Health (IAH), an international diagnostic laboratory, and the private pharmaceutical company Merial Animal Health. |
| I would have thought that on a sensitive site like Pirbright, biosecurity would have been addressed in terms of looking at every way in which material on the site comes in and leaves Michael Jack MP | I would have thought that on a sensitive site like Pirbright, biosecurity would have been addressed in terms of looking at every way in which material on the site comes in and leaves Michael Jack MP |
| Experts were sent to the Pirbright site after it emerged that the strain of disease being studied there was the same as the one that infected cattle at a farm in Guildford at the beginning of August. | Experts were sent to the Pirbright site after it emerged that the strain of disease being studied there was the same as the one that infected cattle at a farm in Guildford at the beginning of August. |
| The BBC understands that ongoing talks are taking place between Merial and the government about whose responsibility it is to maintain the pipe. | The BBC understands that ongoing talks are taking place between Merial and the government about whose responsibility it is to maintain the pipe. |
| There is also concern that worries about the condition of the pipe escaped the notice of government inspectors who licensed the laboratories. | There is also concern that worries about the condition of the pipe escaped the notice of government inspectors who licensed the laboratories. |
| A broader investigation by leading scientist Professor Sir Brian Spratt has highlighted a lack of co-ordination in bio-security between Merial and the IAH. | A broader investigation by leading scientist Professor Sir Brian Spratt has highlighted a lack of co-ordination in bio-security between Merial and the IAH. |
| The Defra spokeswoman said she would not comment on speculation about the investigations. | The Defra spokeswoman said she would not comment on speculation about the investigations. |
| 'Lapse' | 'Lapse' |
| "These reports will be published in full on Friday alongside a statement of the further actions that the government will be taking in the light of these reports," she said. | "These reports will be published in full on Friday alongside a statement of the further actions that the government will be taking in the light of these reports," she said. |
| Michael Jack, the Tory chairman of the Commons committee on environment, food and rural affairs, said he was alarmed by the apparent findings. | Michael Jack, the Tory chairman of the Commons committee on environment, food and rural affairs, said he was alarmed by the apparent findings. |
| "I would have thought that on a sensitive site like Pirbright, biosecurity would have been addressed in terms of looking at every way in which material on the site comes in and leaves - whether it be by a lorry, people, pipes or any other means," he told BBC Radio 4's World At One. | "I would have thought that on a sensitive site like Pirbright, biosecurity would have been addressed in terms of looking at every way in which material on the site comes in and leaves - whether it be by a lorry, people, pipes or any other means," he told BBC Radio 4's World At One. |
| We must make sure that the investment takes place to make sure this never ever happens again to the farming industry Peter KendallNational Farmers' Union president | We must make sure that the investment takes place to make sure this never ever happens again to the farming industry Peter KendallNational Farmers' Union president |
| "I think this report shows a disturbing - perhaps - lapse in investigating all the ways in which material went in and out of this particular site.'' | "I think this report shows a disturbing - perhaps - lapse in investigating all the ways in which material went in and out of this particular site.'' |
| The disease outbreak became apparent on 3 August in a herd of cattle kept by farmer Roger Pride in fields at Normandy, near Guildford. | The disease outbreak became apparent on 3 August in a herd of cattle kept by farmer Roger Pride in fields at Normandy, near Guildford. |
| A neighbouring herd at Woolford Farm tested positive a few days later. | A neighbouring herd at Woolford Farm tested positive a few days later. |
| Peter Kendall, president of the National Farmers' Union, said there must never be another outbreak. | Peter Kendall, president of the National Farmers' Union, said there must never be another outbreak. |
| "Farming has been dramatically affected. Our export markets [and] our movement of animals within the UK [have] been shut down for quite a long period of time." | "Farming has been dramatically affected. Our export markets [and] our movement of animals within the UK [have] been shut down for quite a long period of time." |
| He said he had talks with Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Wednesday. | He said he had talks with Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Wednesday. |
| "What I said to him, quite bluntly, was we must make sure that the investment takes place to make sure this never ever happens again to the farming industry," he said. | "What I said to him, quite bluntly, was we must make sure that the investment takes place to make sure this never ever happens again to the farming industry," he said. |