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| Bird flu firm gets compensation | Bird flu firm gets compensation |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Bernard Matthews will get £589,000 compensation for the birds compulsorily killed to prevent the spread of bird flu, Defra has said. | Bernard Matthews will get £589,000 compensation for the birds compulsorily killed to prevent the spread of bird flu, Defra has said. |
| Cases of the highly virulent H5N1 strain of the disease were discovered on a farm owned by Bernard Matthews in Suffolk in February. | |
| More than 160,000 of the company's birds were slaughtered. | More than 160,000 of the company's birds were slaughtered. |
| The payout for healthy birds killed was announced in Defra's final epidemiology report into the avian flu outbreak. | The payout for healthy birds killed was announced in Defra's final epidemiology report into the avian flu outbreak. |
| Meat importation | Meat importation |
| Officials say compensation is provided under the Animal Health Act 1981 to encourage early reporting of bird flu to minimise the spread of the disease. | |
| If the disease is allowed to spread it would cost taxpayers much more, they add. | |
| The report analyses all the possible ways the virus could have arrived at the farm in Holton. | The report analyses all the possible ways the virus could have arrived at the farm in Holton. |
| No specific proven source has been found but the reports says the most likely explanation is that the infection came from the importation of turkey meat from Hungary. | No specific proven source has been found but the reports says the most likely explanation is that the infection came from the importation of turkey meat from Hungary. |
| Low risk | |
| Chief Veterinary Officer Debby Reynolds said: "Most potential routes of infection are controlled through current procedures. | Chief Veterinary Officer Debby Reynolds said: "Most potential routes of infection are controlled through current procedures. |
| This episode reflects the need for constant vigilance Ben BradshawAnimal Health Minister | |
| "However, the outbreak in Suffolk appears to be the outcome of a series of normally low probability events and circumstances which cumulatively led to the introduction of disease." | "However, the outbreak in Suffolk appears to be the outcome of a series of normally low probability events and circumstances which cumulatively led to the introduction of disease." |
| She said the report was an important part of increasing the understanding of bird flu. | |
| There was a continuous low level risk of the introduction of avian flu to the UK, she added. | |
| The National Emergency Epidemiology Group produced the report in consultation with the European Commission and Hungarian authorities. | |
| Biosecurity standards | |
| Animal Health Minister Ben Bradshaw praised what he described as a "comprehensive report". | |
| He said: "Although we cannot be sure how the outbreak happened, this episode reflects the need for constant vigilance, high levels of biosecurity and robust and well-developed contingency planning in dealing with animal disease outbreaks." | |
| In response to the report, Bernard Matthews said it had "undertaken rigorous internal investigations and audits" in the wake of the outbreak. | |
| The company added that it had always maintained biosecurity standards, and had already taken precautionary measures to enhance measures. | |
| 'Serious breach' | |
| Conservatives have criticised the decision to award compensation to Bernard Matthews. | |
| Shadow Environment Secretary Peter Ainsworth told the Commons that many people would be "astonished" that no-one was being prosecuted for what he called a "serious breach of biosecurity." | |
| He said it was time to look again at the rules covering the import of poultry meat. | |
| Junior Environment Minister Barry Gardiner responded that the government had been praised for its handling of the outbreak, including by the former Conservative Agriculture Minister John Gummer. | |
| A report on the lessons learned from the outbreak will be released later this year. | |
| Following an investigation the Food Standards Agency has said there is insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of a conviction. |