§ Mr. HayesTo ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 24 February 1999,Official Report, column 386, on the lifting of the beef ban, on what date European Commission inspectors were invited to visit the relevant abattoirs; and when he expects (a) the visits to take place and (b) the final stages of the lifting of the ban to begin. [74154]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 2 March 1999]: Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food held discussions with Commission officials in January and February this year on the content, practical arrangements and possible dates for an inspection visit. The inspection will also cover the arrangements for Date Based Export Schemes in meat plants and we are in close contact with their industry in ensuring premises are ready for inspection. We expect to confirm a date very shortly. After the visit, the Commission will produce their report and set a date for exports to resume. We will be encouraging them to act as quickly as possible, but the timetable for those final stages is a matter for the Commission.