§ Mrs. ShephardTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many responses were received in the consultation on the future of rhizomania-protected zones which ended on 14 January; and what representations her Ministers have made to the Council of Ministers about rhizomania-protected zones. [31294]
§ Mr. Morley459 responses were received. No representations on this issue have been made to the Council of Ministers because, when the rules for protected zones were adopted in 1993, the council gave the Standing Committee on Plant Health the powers to amend the annexes to the plant health directive which provide for protected zone status.