§ 63. Mr. ALFRED WILLIAMSasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can give an assurance that the embargo will not be removed on foreign carcases without at least six months' warning of its intended removal being given to agriculturists?
Mr. GUINNESSAdequate notice will he given of any intention to withdraw the Order in question so as, on the one hand, to afford the Department a further period in which to satisfy itself that foot-and-mouth disease on the Continent is under effective control, and, on the other 1257 hand, to give farmers an opportunity to adjust their operations to the new conditions. I cannot, however, define more closely at present the length of notice which might be appropriate under hypothetical conditions. Judging from the increasing prevalence of foot-and-mouth disease in Europe, these conditions do not, seem likely to be realised for a long time to come.