With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 8 together. The British Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary of State for Scotland have made orders providing that, with effect from 1st June next, cattle imported into Britain by sea from this country, other than castrated males and those intended to be moved direct from the landing place to a slaughterhouse for immediate slaughter, must, within the 30 days immediately preceding shipment, have passed a comparative TB test.
The test may be carried out by veterinary practitioners engaged to do so by the exporters. Veterinary inspectors of my Department will, on the strength of the practitioners' certificates, complete an official certificate in relation to each consignment at the time of export. The Deputies will appreciate that the vast bulk of animals in our export trade to Britain are bullocks which will not be subject to the test. Most of the remainder of the cattle to which the new orders relate already have to be subjected to a blood test for brucellosis before export. Accordingly, I do not consider that the new requirement relating to TB testing will have any significant effect on the cattle export trade between the two countries.