§ Mr. HagueTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will give farmers in England an option to apply the 20 day standstill only to animals brought onto the farm and to animals to be moved off, and not to the rest of the animals on the farm, on condition that they are kept separate and that laid down biosecurity measures are observed. [59279]
§ Mr. MorleyThis and other possible variations to the 20-day standstill provisions which currently apply in England and Wales under the interim livestock movement rules are being reviewed from a veterinary and economic standpoint. No decisions have yet been taken. Whatever changes may be made to the interim rules this summer, the Government intend to take full account of any relevant findings from the FMD inquiries before they reach a final view on the role that a 20day standstill might play in the longer term.