 Rwy'n cael ei ddweud, oedd mae'n cael ei comi digol y bydd ydy'r ei cyffredinidig, ond ganwethef yn ein anhygiad, a'r prifnwysiwyr mae'n cy Weinidog Alexander Brannad. Rwy'n cael ei ddweud, mae'n cyffredinidig fel chi fod y cyffredinidig. Felly, rydw i'r callen maen nhw'n gweithio rydw i gyffredinidig sy'n iechyd ym gyfer Thomas Jackson i ddw i ddweud gyfrif melodych yn ffamilynau o ddoch chi eich ddawr oeddiad i gwybodaeth to sharing information, and thirdly, I note my register of interests regarding farming. With that, I can ask the Scottish Government what assurances it can provide that it has taken all required steps to protect consumers, food safety and the farming industry following the discovery of BSE on a farm in Aberdeenshire. I thank the member for his opening remarks there. Clearly, it is extremely disappointing to have a confirmed case of BSE in Scotland. However, I can provide full assurances that all required steps have been taken to protect consumers, to protect food safety and the farming and food sectors. We have put in place a co-ordinated response that has been led by Scotland's chief veterinary officer and the animal health and welfare team in the Scottish Government. The response has involved the animal and plant health agency, Food Standards Scotland and the Health Protection Scotland, and I can provide the following details. Firstly, I want to be clear that the animal that was diagnosed positive for BSE was not destined for the food chain and its carcass was disposed of appropriately. There are strict controls in place to protect consumers from the risk of BSE. Those include controls on animal feed, the removal of the parts of cattle, most likely to carry BSE infectivity, and consumers can be reassured that those important protection measures remain in place. Second of all, animals on the holding were put under movement restrictions to prevent their movement off the holding. A small number of animals on the holding will be culled this week and tested as a precaution. An animal and plant health agency will conduct a detailed investigation to seek to identify the source of the disease. Thirdly, controls to protect animal and public health that were in place before the case remain in place now. That includes controls on the content of animal feed and the removal of the parts of cattle that are most likely to carry BSE infectivity. I thank the minister for her answer. Can we just ask what progress has been made in identifying all the necessary information about the animal, the more important all of its offspring and where they are? I can assure Mr Burnett that we are taking this very seriously. There are detailed investigations under way. As some of those investigations, we will not see the conclusions of identifying the source or the cause of BSE if it is possible to discover that. We will not have the results of that for at least perhaps a month or perhaps longer than that. Now, there have been four cohorts and one of the offspring of the affected animal will be slaughtered. As I said in my initial response, those will be tested purely as a precautionary measure. From the very limited investigations that we have been able to do so far, again, we await the outcome of the further investigations that will hopefully provide some more conclusive information that I can bring back to Parliament. We have not particularly identified any particular problem in the feed, but, as I said, this is just the very preliminary investigations that we have been able to undertake. As the details become clearer, and as those investigations are completed, I will bring that information back to the member and, of course, back to the chamber. What guarantees can the Scottish Government provide that all fallen stock on Scottish farms have been tested for BSE prior to this outbreak? If anything, as devastating as I know that this outbreak has been, not just for the farmer involved but for the wider industry and the shock that it will have been to have this case. If anything, it shows that the surveillance and the measures that we have put in place since the original epidemic in the 1990s are working, because we were able to identify this case quickly. As soon as that case was identified, the other precautionary measures were put in place immediately as soon as that was determined. It shows that the surveillance measures that we have in place are effective and they are working. As an example, we test around 20,000 fallen stock every year. We have a very good system for surveillance, and the fact that we were able to pick this up and identify the case so quickly and react in the way that we did shows that the work that we are undertaking and all the precautionary measures are working. Maureen Watt The British Veterinary Association has said that it is pleased that the comprehensive and robust veterinary surveillance system was able to quickly and effectively detect that potential risk. Both the farmer and the vet involved deserve praise for their part in identifying this case, allowing the authorities to put in place appropriate precautionary measures. Maureen Watt, what impact might this case have on Scotland's BSE now-negligible risk status? I thank the member for that question. The recent case means that Scotland will lose its negligible risk status, but that means that we are now at a controlled risk status, which is currently the same as the rest of the UK. This is a process that we can reapply to be part of, but it takes 11 years—it will be 11 years—from the birth of this affected animal before we will then be able to apply for the negligible risk status again. That is something that we have also seen in other countries across Europe that have been affected by BSE, such as in the Republic of Ireland and in France. Shortly after gaining negligible risk status, Scotland also had isolated cases of BSE, which meant that it lost that again shortly after. That could well be the tail end of the epidemic that we saw in the 1990s. It is a status that we can reapply for, but we are currently at the same status as the rest of the UK. Mike Rumbles will be followed by Stuart Stevenson. Following on from that very question, because we have now a change in our status, what implications does that have for our beef exports from Scotland? What is the change? As far as we are aware at the moment, we are determining that there will be a negligible risk. In other countries, where we have seen a similar status where they have had the negligible risk status, they have lost that and returned to controlled risk. We have not seen any impact on their trade or on the impact on their wider beef sector. We would hope that it will have—it will not be too much or present too much of a problem for the beef sector in Scotland, but it is something that we will be keeping a close watch on. Stuart Stevenson is to be followed by Peter Chapman. While Scotland has one of the most rigorous regimes for monitoring and detecting BSA in the world, are Government vets reviewing our processes to see if that might be driving the need for any further changes or tightening? Again, as I said in an earlier answer, I think that the controls and the measures that we have in place have shown to be working by the very fact that we were able to pick this case up so quickly and act in such a quick and responsive way. Of course, if the investigations that come about as a result of this identify any possible areas for improvement, that is something that we would look very seriously at and very closely at and potentially take forward any improvements if those are to be made. Thank you, Presiding Officer, and I have to declare an interest as a farmer. Firstly, I think that it is important that we put on record and that we all send our support to the farmer concerned, Thomas Jackson. I am reliably told that he is devastated by the case of BSA in his farm, and we must make it clear that he has done nothing wrong. I think that that is important to put on record. My question is, can the minister tell the chamber what extra costs and procedures are involved at slaughter, because of our downgrading from negligible risk to controlled risk status? I thank the member for that question, and I would completely echo the sentiments that he has expressed there about the farmer involved in this. Obviously, this is no fault of his own, and this is understandably devastating for the farmer and for his family as well. However, I would say that we have seen isolated cases that have happened elsewhere where countries have had negligible status and lost that. We, of course, await the outcome of the investigation into this case to see if we are in a similar situation here, but we are definitely working with the farmer, and we would obviously do all that we can to try and support him. In terms of the extra costs that could be involved in our losing the negligible status and between that and the controlled risk, that is something that I would have to look back and get back to the member on, and give him a more detailed response on that answer. The minister and others have mentioned the discovery of BSE in one of his herds, which has been devastating for Thomas Jackson and his family. What particular support has the family and the farmer been given, and what other local beef producers should do if they have any questions about the situation? I thank the member for that question. I understand that the Animal and Plant Health Agency has provided the farm, which has been in close contact with the farmer, and they have provided them with the details of the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution. That is a charity that can offer practical and emotional support for farmers and their family's wellbeing. NFU Scotland has also obviously been in contact with the farmer, and, as I understand it, it is also providing support and assistance. I know that Mr Burnett is also keen to provide that support, where that might be relevant and appropriate. I completely understand the member's point about the wider concern that there will be among the Aberdeenshire farming community. I would urge any farmer with concerns to seek immediate veterinary advice, but I would also say that I am intending to attend the Thainston mark this Friday, where I will be on hand to discuss whether farmers have any concerns that they want to raise with us directly, and perhaps if they feel that there is more support or assistance, we could be offering them. I will be there to listen to those concerns to see whether there is anything else that, as a Government, we can do to help to support them. To ask the Scottish Government what investment is planned for the A83 at the rest and be thankful. The member will be aware of the significant landslide that closed the A83 at the rest and be thankful on Tuesday 9 October. At 3,000 tonnes of debris, that was the biggest landslide on the rest and be thankful in at least a decade. Further deteriorating weather conditions during storm callum caused additional secondary landslips. Since 2007, we have invested £69 million in the maintenance of this trunk road, including £11 million at the rest and be thankful on landslide mitigation measures and the local old military road diversion. The mitigation measures have had an impact with some 2,500 tonnes of debris retained by the Nets on Tuesday 9 October. Looking ahead in the current financial year, a maintenance programme for the A83 totalling £6 million is being delivered. That includes £1.7 million on new roadside catch pit works for further landslide mitigation at the rest and be thankful. That is part of a £4.4 million part of work that started in 2017-18 and will run into 2019-20-20. I have arranged for an A83 task force meeting to take place on 15 November, where the recent incident and wider issues will be discussed with local and regional stakeholders. Can I thank the cabinet secretary for that response? I know that he himself visited the site of the A83 during the nine-day closure, and I am grateful to him for doing so. He will be aware, as he has already stated, that that coincided with the closure of the old military road, which is the usual diversion route used. Indeed, people had to travel an extra 58 miles in many cases as a result of both those closures. Whilst the rest and be thankful is technically in my constituency, the impact is most keenly felt by residents and businesses in Mike Russell's constituency of Argyll and Bute, and I know that he has been active in raising this within the Scottish Government. Will the cabinet secretary join me in thanking the staff that worked tirelessly to return both roads to use? Will he ensure that the task force, which is due to meet soon, will draw in all interest to work on a solution? I am grateful for the member's question. I would like to offer my thanks to the staff who worked tirelessly over an extended period of time in very difficult circumstances to restore the rest and be thankful. When I visited the site on Friday, it was very clear to me that it was a very significant landslip that had taken place. In fact, at the point when I arrived, a further landslip had just occurred on the site. It was the secondary landslip that breached defensing and reached the old military road. The decision not to open up the old military road was the correct one, as has been proven by the events that unfolded. The staff carried out a fantastic job in trying to restore the road and having it opened on the 18th of this month. The task force had an opportunity to have a debrief on the events that took place over the course of the past couple of weeks. I know that Mike Russell and Jackie Baillie have a standing invitation to attend, but it is important that we have an understanding of what did happen and where we are at with the mitigation measures that are taking place at the present moment, and whether further measures need to be implemented as we move forward in the months ahead. The cabinet secretary will be aware, of course, that this is not the first time that the rest and be thankful has had to close, notwithstanding the welcome mitigation measures, but the consequences of each closure for the local economy and for local people is hugely significant. Many people now believe that there needs to be a permanent solution. I would ask the cabinet secretary to agree to meet with Argyll and Bute Council to discuss that and, secondly, to commission a full options appraisal to deliver certainty for local people in businesses that rely on the A83. I recognise the significant inconvenience and frustration that are felt by those in Argyll and Bute who were affected by the closure of the A83 at the rest and be thankful. That is to be regretted. There has been a significant amount of work that has been undertaken to try and implement the mitigation measures. As I have mentioned, they have had an impact on the sites that it stands at the present moment, where the route would have closed in the past couple of years that the nets have actually prevented that from occurring. Clearly, given the events that occurred in the past couple of weeks, we need to revisit this issue. The last report was completed in 2013. The red recommendation is the one that was taken forward and that work is still on-going. There is work to install the catch pits, part of which is being completed. What I have discussed with Transport Scotland when I was on site with it is our work that we could take forward more quickly in order to speed up that mitigation work. I know that they are also very close to securing the land and to allowing the tree planting to take place. Again, if we can speed up that process, we will help to support some of the mitigation work. However, I am open to looking at whether there are further measures that need to be taken forward in order to address the issue on a permanent basis. If they are identified, I will give it every effort that I can to make sure that they realise as we move forward. I commend the staff for the hard work that they did in recent events on the A83. The A83 is the main trunk road coming into Argyll and closure leads to people suffering fuel poverty, isolation and inability to access vital services such as hospital visits and things like that. If the most recent landslide had occurred hours later, there could well have been fatalities, does the cabinet secretary agree that no other trunk road such as the M8, M74 and M9 will be allowed to function at this level of disruption? As I have just mentioned, I regret that the disruption was caused by this particular landslide. Anyone who knows this particular site will know of the particularly challenging topography of that area, where there have been long-standing issues with the landslides in that particular area of the road. The work that has been taken forward as part of the mitigation measures is to address those concerns. However, given recent events and given the scale of this particular landslide, we need to look at whether there are further measures that need to be taken forward as we consider the impact that it has recently had. I am committed to making sure that we do that, and there will be no doubt that the task force will want to give due consideration to that when it meets on 15 November. I apologise to John Finnie and Donald Cameron that we were not able to take any further supplementaries, but we are a little bit pushed for time this afternoon.