§ Mr. ProsserTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to persuade(a) the European Commission and (b) European Union member states to lift the BSE-related ban on the export of live calves from the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [142948]
§ Ms QuinThe proposed European Union Council Regulation on Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies, currently under discussion in Brussels, holds out the prospect of a return to live exports of bovine animals once BSE incident in the UK has reduced to a lower level. We believe this is the best route to achieving a return to live exports, but progress will take some time.