§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she plans to make it her policy to stop sheep that are susceptible to TSEs from breeding. 161552]
§ Margaret Beckett[holding answer 13 June 2002]: The Government launched a national scrapie plan in July 2001 after full consultation with the sheep industry and other stakeholders. The plan is a long-term programme whose aim is to increase the level of TSE-resistance in the sheep flock by means of breeding programmes which encourage the use of resistant animals. Participation by sheep breeders in the plan is at present on a purely voluntary basis, but as part of the consultation it was made clear that these measures would be made compulsory at some stage.