§ Lembit ÖpikTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action the Government will take against those who disregard 20-day restrictions on animal movements from 1 January 2003 by refusing to complete standard movement documents. [80549]
§ Mr. MorleyResponsibility for enforcement of the animal movements legislation falls to Local Authorities. It is for each such authority to determine the appropriate action to take in the event of a breach of the legislation. It is in the interests of the farming industry as a whole, and of the wider rural economy, that farmers should complete these movement documents correctly and observe the animal movement controls in force, so as to help prevent any repeat of last year's outbreak of foot and mouth disease.