§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on how her Department intends to overcome difficulties in the manner in which the 20-day standstill is being interpreted for sheep movement in(a) Scotland and (b) England and Wales. [62989]
§ Mr. Morley(holding answer 19 June 2002]: DEFRA officials are in regular contact with their counterparts in the National Assembly for Wales Agriculture Department and the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department and together they seek to find a solution to any practical difficulties arising from the differences in the livestock movements controls.
The Government will not make decisions about possible changes to the current standstill rules until Ministers have seen the recommendations of the Royal Society and lessons learned inquiries. Those decisions will be taken in discussion with the devolved Administrations and with stakeholders.