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NFUS Reaction to Scottish Executive Response to FMD Inquiries Nov 2002
Quoting from a NFUS news release 6th Nov 2002 (1), Jim Walker the president of NFUS said "The Scottish Executive has stressed in its response that animal health is fully devolved to Scottish Ministers. Yet on a number of crucial animal health issues, such as the assessment of the impact of the 20-day livestock standstill and future compensation for livestock compulsorily slaughtered, they seem satisfied to let DEFRA take the lead. "Livestock movement controls in Scotland are governed by Scottish legislation, and rightly they reflect Scottish conditions. For well over a year now, NFUS has been calling for a Scottish regulatory impact assessment of these controls, considering both the economic and veterinary consequences of the regulations. SEERAD has given in to DEFRA for this to be carried out on a GB basis, despite it being Scottish legislation under Scottish control. "Similarly, on future arrangements for compensation for livestock compulsorily slaughtered and other costs of disease control, it is simply not good enough for the Executive to be 'represented on a DEFRA led working group'. DEFRA and the Treasury have their own agenda for animal disease insurance; a proposal that has even been dismissed by those in the insurance industry, partly due to Britain's woeful import controls. "The Executive must take its own lead for animal health policy in Scotland, just as it took a lead last year and eradicated Foot and Mouth Disease in Scotland without interference from DEFRA."
References1. Executive Must Lead on Scottish Animal Health Issues. NFUS News release. 6 November 2002. View News Release | NFUS Homepage |