§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason the United Kingdom made no application to the EU for a share of its 2003 funding programme to control animal diseases and zoonoses. [78364]
§ Margaret BeckettThe UK has applied for and obtained EU funding in support of agreed control programmes for 2002 and previous years. In respect of the 2003 claims, claims for TB and Brucella were not received by the Commission until after the 1 June 2002 deadline. We are in discussion with the Commission in an attempt to correct the position.