Parish says UK must take action to prevent an export ban

A European Commission task force on Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) would be a welcome move for finally forcing the British government to stop dithering and start tackling the problem, Neil Parish MEP, Conservative Chairman of the European Parliament Agriculture Committee, said today.

A Defra Spokesman confirmed the Commission is aware that the Secretary of State wishes to work with industry to develop a joint plan for tackling bovine TB.

The Commission has also expressed a wish to be engaged with us on the future development of our bovine TB strategy. Hilary Benn has spoken to Commissioner Vassiliou about TB, but they did not discuss the question of an EU task force.

In the past few months Dutch and Belgian traders launched an unofficial boycott after 12 infected calves from Britain were found on six Dutch farms and in the UK over 30,000 cattle being slaughtered a year in the UK as a result of being infected with the disease. If the disease is not adequately controlled, the cost to the taxpayer is predicted to reach £300 million by 2012.

Speaking after the meeting Mr Parish said:

"The British government’s dithering over how to control bovine TB has unfortunately made EU intervention necessary.

"British farmers do not want to take matters into their own hands, nor do they want bureaucrats in Brussels to intervene, but if the government is not prepared to take the difficult decisions needed to ensure that the disease is properly eradicated, they risk both things happening.

"I very much hope that the government does finally take charge of the situation and the fact that they have approached the commission does suggest that finally they may start taking this devastating disease seriously."