Mr Bradshaw said:

"Good progress has been made on a variety of important issues concerning the use of emergency vaccination. I particularly welcome the new EU Directive on Foot and Mouth Disease control, which meets the recommendations of the various inquiries and takes into account the changes in the OIE code since 2001."

Progress includes:

– Negotiation of a new EU Directive on Foot and Mouth Disease control, moving vaccination to the forefront of disease control strategy.

– Engaging with stakeholders to gain the necessary support from the farming and food industries to make emergency vaccination a workable option in the event of a future outbreak.

– Procurement of independent supplies of Foot and Mouth Disease vaccine for the UK, which is suitable for use in a "vaccinate-to-live" strategy in the event of a future outbreak.

– Ongoing work on the development of vaccination scenarios including a Cost Benefit Analysis to help decision making on future disease control strategy.

– Continuing to fund research into tests that would demonstrate the absence of infection in animals post-vaccination.

– Putting in place operational arrangements with an external contractor that would enable an emergency vaccination programme to be implemented 5 days after confirmation of the disease, subject to veterinary and epidemiological advice.

The latest version of the Government's Foot and Mouth Disease Contingency Plan was put out to consultation today prior to laying it before Parliament in Spring 2004. This revision reflects changes and developments over the last year and builds on input from key operational partners. Defra is planning a series of exercises over the next seven months to check and validate the Foot and Mouth Disease Contingency Plan. The programme will culminate in a live exercise on 29 and 30 June 2004.