§ Mr. John Wellsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the latest position about white rust in chrysanthemums; and whether he now proposes to take steps to impose a ban on imported chrysanthemums.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerI am glad to say that the small number of outbreaks of white rust which occurred on nurseries earlier this year are well under control. Since then there has been one finding, at Gateshead market on 3 March, of three pustules on two cut flowers understood to have come from the Netherlands. Given the particular circumstances of this case I did not consider a ban would be appropriate.