§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action her Department has taken in respect of protecting the United Kingdom's rare farming breeds by artificial insemination; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. SoamesThe regulations governing artificial insemination in cattle and pigs are intended to ensure that semen is collected only from healthy animals and apply equally to all breeds, including rare farming breeds. In EC negotiations on rules for intra-Community trade in bovine semen the Department has taken account of the interests of the rearers of rare and minority breeds. For the foreseeable future, national rules will continue to apply to the use of stored semen which does not meet Community standards.