FOOT AND MOUTH BAN MUST BE RESTRICTED TO AREAS AFFECTED

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 6th Jul 2007

Commenting on the EU ban on exports, Lib Dem MEP for the North East Fiona Hall said:

"The Commission has indicated a willingness to regionalise the Foot & Mouth ban but the Government asked for a national ban in the first instance. For the sake of North East farmers and the wider rural economy it is vital to get the ban restricted to those areas actually affected by the outbreak. If farms in our region are in the clear then they should not be subject to export restrictions on meat."