THE BRITISH government appeared to draw back from direct confrontation with its partners yesterday, amid continuing Eurosceptic pressure to reduce or shelve the proposed cattle cull.
After a meeting of the cabinet, it was announced that the Agriculture Minister, Mr Douglas Hogg, will hold talks with the European Commission in the light of new evidence about the maternal transmission of BSE and the likely timescale for its eradication from British cattle.
Ministers decided that the new scientific evidence should be examined within the terms of the Florence Agreement reached in Italy earlier this year for lifting the beef export ban based on "objective scientific criteria".
It was also agreed a sub-committee of key ministers, chaired by the Prime Minister, Mr John Major, should see how the government might reconcile the continuing EU ban, the fresh evidence, and the consequent pressure not to comply with EU requirements.
Earlier this week Mr Major signalled that the case for reducing the size of the cull was up for review, igniting speculation about a fresh confrontation with Brussels. However, a Downing Street spokesman yesterday said: "Ministers noted that the scientific findings represent new factors which must be reviewed with the Commission, within the Florence Framework, for decisions on lifting the ban on beef exports on the basis of objective scientific criteria."
The latest evidence has reinforced Conservative opposition to the cull. Ministers fear Eurosceptics and MPs representing rural constituencies could inflict a Commons defeat on the deal, which requires the slaughter of more than 100,000 cattle. Ministers at the same time are divided about the wisdom of renewed confrontation with their EU partners. A spokesman for the Commission, Mr Gerry Kelly, warned it would not countenance a reduction in the cull numbers. He said: "We haven't said it can't be changed. If there is a better approach we will talk about changing it. But we will not talk on the basis of numbers of cattle to be slaughtered. That's not our priority."
And Labour MP, Mr Gavin Strang, kept up the pressure on the government yesterday, describing its handling of the cull as "absolutely abysmal". Mr Strang said: "It's absolutely vital that make progress in lifting the export ban. John Major told the Commons after the Florence summit that the first step in lifting the ban would be taken in October and the overall ban would be lifted in November. We need to ensure that that timetable is met."
Meanwhile, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Mr Roger Freeman, announced new measures to clear the backlog in the slaughter of cattle under the 30-month scheme. These include:
. An agreement with the UK Renderers Association allowing a greater proportion of each animal to be placed in cold storage;
. the conversion of two large grain stores into cold storage centres, providing space for an additional 25,000 carcasses;
. an urgent review of 5,000 livestock holdings to provide an accurate assessment of the scale of the backlog.
Mr Freeman said he was aware of the concern throughout the farming industry about the backlog: "It is clearly not in the producers' interest to have to retain and feed animals which should have gone for slaughter."
He added that the better-than-expected recovery in the UK's consumer market was welcome although there remained pressure on rendering capacity.