§ Mr. Biffenasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the draft decision of the Council of Ministers of the Common Market in respect of the production of vaccine to counter A22 foot-and-mouth virus, indicating what action will be taken by the British Government and at what estimated cost.
§ Mrs. FennerThis decision, adopted on 26th March, provides for a stock of vaccine against types of foot-and-mouth disease which have not caused disease in Western Europe and against which the routine vaccination undertaken by mainland member States would be ineffective. This reserve will be produced and stored outside the territory of the Community. It will augment the action being taken by the FAO European Commission for the control of foot-and-mouth disease. The vaccine, if not needed in the Community, could be available to assist a third country. Provision for expenditure in 1973 will be made in the supplementary budget to be published in the Official Journal, the contribution of the United Kingdom to actual expenditure amounting to some 8½ per cent.