§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the European Commission's draft regulations for the tagging of sheep. [89614]
§ Margaret BeckettThe Government support the European Commission's objectives to improve sheep and goat identification and traceability in order to control the spread of animal diseases.
However, the Commission's proposals in their present form could cause practical problems for the UK sheep industry. The Government will be negotiating to try and ensure that that the eventual Regulations are both workable and enforceable, and that the timescales for implementation are realistic.