§ Mr. Hardyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will continue to prohibit the use of vaccination or the import for agricultural purposes of livestock vaccinated to prevent foot and mouth disease.
§ Mr. StrangMy right hon. Friend is not contemplating any change in our policy of not vaccinating against foot and mouth disease, except in circumstances envisaged in the reports of the Committee on Inquiry on Foot and Mouth Disease 1968 (Cmnd. 3999 and 4225), copies of which are available in the Library of the House. Discussions are currently taking place in Brussels on the conditions which need to be applied to imports of farm livestock, after the arrangements agreed at our accession to the Community expire at the end of 1977, so as to maintain our safeguards against the possible introduction of this disease. I can reassure my hon. Friend of the Government's determination to protect our freedom from foot and mouth disease.