§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about any agreement between the Agricultural and Food Research Council's institute of animal health arid the animal health authority of Argentina including the costs involved.
§ Mr. Alan HowarthThe Pirbright laboratory of the AFRC institute for animal health—IAH—has agreed in principle to undertake a collaborative programme of research with the Centro de Investigacion en Ciencias Veterinarias—CICV—of Argentina's Institute de Virologia del Institute Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria subject to agreement of suitable funding arrangements. The research will investigate the role of carrier animals in the epidemiology of foot and mouth disease, for which Pirbright is the European and world reference laboratory. The Argentine Government are considering whether to support the project. The CICV and IAH are also seeking support from the Commission of the European Communities as part of its scheme to promote bilateral scientific co-operation between laboratories in the Community and countries in Latin America, Asia and the Mediterranean.