§ Mr. ViggersTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to compensate those companies specialising in cattle head deboning whose business was adversely affected by the introduction of the Specified Bovine Material orders relating to head meat. [19450]
§ Mr. RookerI sympathise with the deboners that lost business when tighter restrictions on cattle heads were introduced in March 1996 in line with advice from the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee. However, the Government do not compensate for loss of business arising out of measures to protect public health and safety. Deboners are not alone in suffering from the impact of BSE.