§ Mr. Barry FieldTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking in conjunction with his European Community partners to ensure that the risks of the spread of animal diseases are not increased as a result of the introduction of the Europan single market.
§ Mr. MacleanIn discussions in Brussels I have sought to persuade my European Community partners that changes associated with the realisation of the single market should not be achieved at the cost of an increased risk of spread of animal disease. The directive on veterinary checks on trade in certain animal products, agreed last December after lengthy negotiation, reflects that key contention and leaves me optimistic that in completing the single market we will achieve the right balance between the removal of trade barriers and continued progress towards reducing and eliminating disease threats.