THURSO CALLS FOR URGENT ACTION TO SAFEGUARD SHEEP INDUSTRY IN NORTH

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 1st Aug 2001

Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross MP, John Thurso, has made an urgent plea to Rural Affairs Minister, Ross Finnie, MSP and Margaret Beckett, MP, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for a "controlled and limited" relaxation of the animal transport and welfare regulations to safeguard this year's lamb sales.

John Thurso said: "The crisis facing sheep farmers and crofters in the North is very real, and grave. We have traditionally relied on the lamb sales for the export of our sheep to the South. We do not have the feeding resources to allow stock reared in the area to remain here over winter and, if the sales should be jeopardised, the inevitable consequence will be a massive slaughter.

I am calling for a very limited relaxation of the present transport and welfare regulations and I hope that Ministers will respond favourably and urgently."