§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Prime Minister if she will be raising the issue of the European Commission's proposed appointment of a European mouse care expert at the forthcoming European summit; and what assessment she has made of the value of the Commission's encouragement of inter-community trade in mice and rats.
§ The Prime MinisterThere is no such proposal. I assume that the hon. Member is referring to a proposal for a Council regulation on animal health conditions governing trade in rodents. These proposals are of real concern as they are relevant to Her Majesty's Government's fight against rabies. The Government's assessment of it was set out in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's explanatory memorandum 9715/89 of 27 November 1989, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.