Press Release from the Green Party

Originally from: Farmtalking
                        
NEWS RELEASE
From: ...

Originally from the office of the Green MEPs

17 December, 2002

GOVERNMENT FAILS TO DEFLECT FOOT & MOUTH CRITICISM

– GREEN MEP V-P CONDEMNS GOVERNMENT WHITEWASH BID

THE Government traumatized farmers, damaged health and the rural environment and broke animal welfare rules during its handlingoflast year's foot and mouth outbreak, according to a report adopted by the European Parliament today.

Vaccination should replace the disastrous contiguous cull as the response of first choice in any future outbreak, the report also concludes.

The report was adopted by the European Parliament in Strasbourg today after almost a year of meetings, sifting evidence and visiting affected rural communities by members of a specially appointed Temporary Committee into the outbreak. The committee's Vice-President, Green MEP Caroline Lucas, welcomed the report.

She told the Strasbourg Parliament: "It is quite clear from the evidence we received and the communities we visited that much of the blame for the devastation which followed the outbreak lies at the door of the British government."

Dr Lucas added: "I'm particularly pleased that the Parliament has rejected attempts by Labour to water down the report and to re-write history.

"Their efforts to pretend that their were no violations of animal welfare, no intimidation of farmers, no health or environmental effects from pyres and burial sites were a cynical attempt to whitewash the past with no basis in fact."

Labour MEPs led by Gordon Adam lost their fight to water down the report by removing criticism of the Government. First, they opposed the establishment of an inquiry, then they tried to limit its working life to six months and today, they introduced amendments seeking to remove references to the trauma suffered by farmers, breaches in animal welfare and environmental legislation, and the failure of the contiguous cull policy – which led to the unnecessary slaughter of over 10 million animals – to curb the spread of the disease.

The report's key findings include:

1. The decision to operate a contiguous cull policy rather than vaccination was taken to protect meat export markets – but resulted in a far greater economic loss to affected communities from the collapse of tourism and other industries. Vaccination must take precedence in dealing with any future outbreak 2. Farmers were 'intimidated' and 'pressurised' in connection
with the culls
3. Burning pyres and mass burial sites caused environmental and
health ill-effects

Dr Lucas added: "People would have a lot more respect for the Government if it could just bring itself to admit that it got things wrong and apologise. For as long as it seeks to dodge responsibility and criticism there can be no guarantee that it won't act exactly the same way again."

ENDS