§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what proposals he has to lift the over thirty months scheme for cattle entering the food chain; [35946]
(2) what representations he has received requesting the lifting of the over thirty months scheme for cattle entering the food chain; and if he will make a statement. [35945]
§ Mr. RookerThe Government have no plans to lift the Over Thirty Months Scheme (OTMS) for cattle entering the food chain. We have received a number of representations about the OTMS, including some from producers requesting its full or partial removal.
The OTMS is a public health measure which we could lift only once the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee has advised that it would be safe to lift the ban on the sale of beef from over thirty month animals.
406WFurthermore, the effective operation of the OTMS is one of the conditions of the Florence Agreement for the lifting of the beef export ban.