Clause 1 - Foot-and-mouth disease
Animal Health Bill
9:30 am
Mrs Ann Winterton (Congleton, Conservative)
The Minister makes a valid point, but he has carefully avoided the important point about the initial delay in slaughtering animals. There were delays of several days because nobody could make up their mind and the arrangements were not in place. It was at that time, and because the Government failed to take urgent action, that the disease spread dramatically.