GUIDANCE ON PRE-MOVEMENT TESTING

Early day motion 1606, tabled 8 February 2006 by James Paice (Conservative). Signed by 77 members.

That this House recognises the importance of livestock markets to rural communities; further recognises the role of such markets in enabling a farmer to obtain a fair price for his or her stock at auction; notes the coming into force later this month of the Tuberculosis (England) Order 2005; further notes the introduction by the order of a requirement for pre-movement testing of cattle for bovine TB; welcomes measures to combat the urgent problem of TB in cattle; further recognises that livestock markets are ideally placed to monitor compliance by farmers with the provisions of the order; further notes the Government's failure to provide any guidance to livestock markets on the practical operation of the order or the conditions for being granted the status necessary to continue offering an open market for both finished and unfinished cattle; calls on the Government to provide such guidance as a matter of urgency; and urges the Government to work with the Livestock Auctioneers' Association to ensure that the order is implemented in a manner which is administratively workable and which enables all farmers to continue to achieve a fair price for their cattle within the context of an open auction.

Signatures by party: Conservative 57, Liberal Democrat 12, Labour 6, DUP 2.