The objective of our border controls is to ensure that the live animals and products entering England are safe.

We are reviewing the regulations in England and would welcome your thoughts on:

• the extent the regulations achieve the objective
• whether those objectives remain appropriate
• could the objectives be achieved by less regulation

The review we are undertaking is required under Article 43 of the Trade in Animals and Animal Products Regulations 2011 SI 1197 (TARP).

Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) collates summary statistics on the number of cases of TSE disease found through active and passive disease surveillance of animals. This includes summary statistics on the number of submissions tested and cases found from through the Compulsory Scrapie Flocks Scheme.

Active disease surveillance

European law requires all Member States to carry out active disease surveillance for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle, and scrapie in sheep and goats. This data is used to determine the TSE disease status of each country.

Compulsory Scrapie Flocks Scheme

Since 2004, disease control measures require sheep flocks and goat herds to join the Compulsory Scrapie Flocks Scheme (CSFS) when a case of scrapie is confirmed. Subsequent cases of scrapie in these flocks and herds are reported separately.

APHA provides summary statistics on the number of submissions tested and cases found through the CSFS testing routes (initial cull, annual cull and fallen stock) in Great Britain.

Passive disease surveillance

Passive disease surveillance takes place when an animal with clinical signs suspicious of a TSE disease is reported to an APHA office, and further investigation determines whether the animal was affected by BSE or scrapie.

Cases of TSE disease found in sheep from passive surveillance have been recorded since 1993. The European Union active surveillance started in January 2002.

In active surveillance, the number of sheep sampled in the testing programme has varied each year . It has included:

• a sample of fallen sheep over 18 months of age.
• a sample of healthy slaughtered sheep over 18 months of age.

Cases which have been identified from flocks in the Compulsory Scrapie Flock Scheme (CSFS) are shown separately.

APHA attempt to trace all cases of scrapie back to their natal (birth) flock so that it can confirm disease on the appropriate premises and control measures can be applied. In some cases this can take time. Where a final decision has not been made on where to confirm disease, the case is included in the number of pending cases.

The following reports are also available:

• Sheep and goats: scrapie disease surveillance
• Scrapie: TSE surveillance statistics

Cases of TSE disease found in goats from passive surveillance in Great Britain have been recorded since 1993. The European Union active surveillance programme started in January 2002.

In active surveillance, the number of sheep sampled in the testing programme has varied each year. It has always included:

• a sample of fallen goats over 18 months of age.
• a sample of healthy slaughtered goats over 18 months of age (no longer in place)

Cases which have been identified from herds in the Compulsory Scrapie Flock Scheme (CSFS) are shown separately.

APHA attempt to trace all cases of scrapie back to their natal (birth) herd so that it can can confirm disease on the appropriate premises for control measures to be applied. In some cases this can take time. Where a final decision has not been made on where to confirm disease, the case is included in the number of pending cases.

At present no atypical cases of scrapie have been found in British goats.

The following reports are also available:

• Sheep and goats: scrapie disease surveillance
• Scrapie: TSE surveillance statistics