Foot and Mouth/Bluetongue
Opposition Day — [20th Allotted Day — First Part]
1:36 pm
James Paice (Shadow Minister, Environment, Food & Rural Affairs; South East Cambridgeshire, Conservative)
Anybody who has read the Spratt and the Health and Safety Executive reports will have come to the conclusion that my hon. Friend Daniel Kawczynski has reached. It is stated clearly that that is by far the most likely cause; no other substantive alternative cause of infection is ventured. I can well understand why the Secretary of State does not want to admit that. I am sure that thousands of lawyers are on his shoulder, pressing him not to do or say anything that could be construed as accepting responsibility. However, I do not think that there is any doubt about how the situation was caused.