If on the other hand the new evidence added little to the existing body of knowledge on the possible

If, on the other hand the new evidence added little to the existing body of knowledge on the possible link between BSE and CJD “a more careful reaction would have been preferable”.A spokesman confirmed that no inkling had been conveyed to Britain’s EU partners or the Commission during a meeting of the 15 agriculture ministers last Monday.There was a strong feeling, senior officials said, that London was not being as forthcoming with Brussels as it ought particularly in light of the government’s demands for substantial sums of aid.Mr Fischler said any claims for compensation from Brussels would have to be scientifically based.The commissioner suggested that if beef prices fell through the floor in Britain Brussels would open the doors of “intervention”, the CAP’s system for propping up prices.. The proposal is not properly scientifically based.”Mr Meldrum stressed that neither British nor European scientists had recommended such action. Furious British officials – who described the move as “ramshackle, hasty, ill thought out and having no basis in science” – said the ban also extended to cattle semen and embryos which even the European Commission acknowledged harboured no risk.Other representatives said the atmosphere had been acrimonious “There was a lot of strong feeling against Britain” said one.Anger in Brussels at the British government’s handling of the crisis erupted earlier. The move yesterday provoked a furious response from John Major who urged Jacques Santer, president of the European Commission, to reconvene the meeting to hear evidence from British officials. Mr Santer agreed the meeting would reconvene today but the decision yesterday threatens to plunge already tense relations between the UK and its European Union partners into crisis.Britain’s chief vet, Keith Meldrum, who argued vehemently against the ban, emerged from the day-long meeting to accuse his European colleagues of ignoring the advice of scientists.”The proposal was rushed, unscientific and disproportionate,” he said “I am concerned that not enough time was given to this. It will not affect meat on sale in British shops however.The move confirms decisions by all but two of the EU countries to close their borders to British beef and cattle. MPs were told two cases of BSE had been reported in France.Pressed on the possibility of slaughtering cattle and paying compensation to farmers, Mr Hogg said the important thing first of all was to try to restore confidence in the market.

If that did not happen he anticipated he would have to come to the House with further proposals “But that is not the position at the moment,” he told MPs.. KATHERINE BUTLER

Brussels
Britain’s European partners yesterday formally closed the door on British beef and imposed an indefinite ban effective throughout the fifteen member states.The trade boycott, which the EU agriculture commissioner, Franz Fischler, said would extend to exports of British beef and cattle to non-EU countries, was agreed by chief veterinary officers who outvoted Britain by fourteen to one. He agreed with Paul Tyler, the Liberal Democrat agriculture spokesman, who said it was “absurd” for the burger giants to import beef which was not regulated and inspected to the same high standards as in Britain. “I see absolutely no reason for any responsible citizen not to buy British beef or beef products of any kind in the shops today.”In a separate statement, Douglas Hogg, Minister for Agriculture, said that in the light of Seac’s advice, McDonald’s decision to ban British beef, was “not justified”. As a parent of a seven year-old and a three year- old himself, he understood that the risks associated with parenting were “many and various”.He said. “Shouldn’t Mr Dorrell say `better safe than sorry’ – at least for the next nine months when we see whether there are any further cases.”Tory backbenchers charged Labour with “scaremongering” and said the party would be to blame if the British beef industry was destroyed.Sir Anthony Grant, MP for Cambridgeshire SW, recommended publication of a list, based on statistical evidence, which, he said, would probably show that people had as much chance of winning the National Lottery – and a greater chance of being murdered – as getting CJD, the human equivalent of mad cow disease.Mr Dorrell made repeated use of Seac’s observation that “no human activity is without some risk”.

There was therefore no reason to advise schools to withdraw beef.But Ms Harman said the Government should err on the side of caution on school meals. “The roots of this crisis lie in the Government’s repeated failures to take prompt and effective action to protect our food,” she said in response to Mr Dorrell’s latest statement on BSE.”Instead, deregulation dogma fuelled by complacency has caused a nightmare scenario for consumers and farmers alike.”In less of an atmosphere of suppressed panic than last week, Mr Dorrell said that according to the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee, children were “not likely to be more susceptible” to infection than adults. Stephen Dorrell, Secretary of State for Health, accused Ms Harman, his Labour shadow, of “ferreting around for party political advantage”, while backbencher Tony Marlow was ordered by the Speaker to withdraw a shout of “stupid cow”.
Ms Harman said the Government had dragged its feet throughout the BSE affair, delaying before taking action to make the disease notifiable, in banning animal protein, in requiring compulsory slaughter and compensation, and in banning bovine offal. On a personal issue, I still think British beef is an excellent product, but I’m not forcing my view on our customers.”. Harriet Harman yesterday raised the political temperature over the safety of British beef with a Commons attack in which she blamed the crisis on “deregulation dogma and complacency”. Poultry prices also leapt by 25 per cent to 80p per pound while pork was marked up 10 per cent to 75p per pound.At the livestock market at Detling, in Kent, the cattle pens were virtually empty for the auction yesterday. Within two days of the Government’s announcement the price of beef had plummeted by a quarter.

At the auction yesterday just two farmers brought in their cattle for sale. Normally there would 50 to 60.Wimpy confirmed it was banning British beef from its outlets. Max Wolfenden, managing director, said: “Because of the confusion in the market place with our customers and the serious concerns they have been expressing we are having to move out of British beef to other sources.”"We have no scientific reason to do it. But this estimate was based on a virtually non-existent market.Traders at Smithfield said prices of imported beef had risen 25 per cent as sales of home-grown beef ground to a virtual halt. Brian Howes, a meat cutter, said: “People are not buying beef for love nor money.”But in contrast wholesale prices of spring lamb increased by up to 50 per cent to 180p per pound. At Smithfield meat market in London prices for heifers, young female cows which are normally the most valuable cattle, were 37 per cent below those paid before the BSE scare began last week.