§ Mr. Mathewasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what contribution the Government propose to make to the Food and Agriculture Organisation's vaccination campaign against S.A.T. type foot-and-mouth disease, which threatens Europe from the Near East.
§ Mr. SoamesWe have, from the beginning, regarded this threat with great concern. In the summer F.A.O. asked European countries to contribute to a fund to combat the spread of the disease. The United Kingdom's share of this was to be over £300,000. Her Majesty's Government agreed to make this contribution on condition that other180W countries responded likewise. As part of our contribution, we then underwrote the purchase by F.A.O. of 300,000 doses of vaccine from the Foot-and-Mouth Research Institute at Pirbright. Some contributions have been made by other countries, but these have almost been used up, and decisions are still awaited from the majority of European governments.
Her Majesty's Government have now agreed to make available a total of up to £120,000, including the cost of the 300,000 doses, to keep the campaign going until the end of February. Further support from Her Majesty's Government is conditional on other countries making substantial contributions.
Her Majesty's Government's contribution will be financed from the Civil Contingencies Fund, pending the approval of the Supplementary Estimate making provision for the expenditure, which is now before the House.