The government is "cautiously optimistic that the worst is over" in the foot-and-mouth crisis, the British agriculture minister, Mr Nick Brown, said today.
But he said there would be "sporadic outbreaks" of the disease "for some time to come".
In a Commons statement, Mr Brown said: "We cannot afford to let our guard drop for a moment. We are determined to see this operation through to a successful conclusion."
He announced that he was pressing ahead with a ban on pig swill, the possible source of the disease.
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His comments came after the prime minister had earlier said the government was now on the "home straight" in the battle against the foot-and-mouth outbreak.
PA