- Cymraeg
- English
High Court verdict in TB table values case to be welcomed - Williams
July 14, 2008 12:00 AM
Commenting today on the High Court judgement in the TB test value case (R (on the Application of Partridge Farms Limited) v The Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), Roger Williams MP, Liberal Democrat Food and Rural Affairs Spokesperson, has urged the Government not to appeal the decision.
Speaking after the decision, Mr Williams said:
"I am pleased that Lord Justice Stanley Burnton has declared DEFRA's compensation package for high value animals that have to be slaughtered due to bovine TB as 'unlawful'.
"It is not right that cattle at the top end of the market are given the average cattle value when they are slaughtered and therefore I welcome the High Court's decision.
"To only offer the average value of cattle when one of high value has been slaughtered does not recognise either the market realities or the devastating impact of bovine TB on these high value cattle farmers and their profession.
"While I appreciate the need to balance the interest of livestock farming with pressures on Government funds, to offer such comparatively small levels of compensation in such a premium market is outrageous.
"During the Secretary of State's statement to the House on bovine TB last Monday (7th July) I called on the Government to revisit the compensation scheme for pedigree and high value livestock. At the time the Secretary of State said he was waiting for the outcome of this case. Having not received the answer he was looking for it now seems that he will appeal the decision rather than respect it.
"I hope that the Secretary of State will reconsider this and recognise the judgement of the Lord Justice."
What would you like to do next?
-
Subscribe for updates
Follow the party's activity on...
- Twitter:
- Liberal Democrats
- Facebook:
- Liberal Democrats
- YouTube:
- Liberal Democrats