§ Mr. Lyellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will take action to secure the continuation of the derogations granted by the EEC allowing the United Kingdom to ban the import of live pigs and fresh pig meat from countries where herds continue to be infected with classical swine fever, after the expiration of the present derogations on 31 December;
(2) whether, in the event that imports of live pigs or fresh pig meat are permitted after 1 January 1980 and the result is the reintroduction of classical swine fever, infected herds will be slaughtered and their owners compensated in the same 644W terms as applied during the operation of the eradication scheme which finally achieved in 1971.
§ Mr. WigginDiscussions are currently proceeding in Brussels on the future of the swine fever derogations granted by the EEC to the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland and Denmark. It remains the policy of the United Kingdom Government to secure the extension of these derogations. No change is contemplated in the Government's slaughter and compensation policy for dealing with outbreaks of swine fever in this country in the unfortunate event of a recurrence of the disease.