19 February 2007 - The EU today faces calls to investigate the Government’s decision to allow poultry processing to resume at the Bernard Matthews farm at the centre of the Suffolk bird flu outbreak – a possible breach of EU rules designed to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

Green Party MEP Caroline Lucas, who has demanded that the European Commission investigate the possible safety breach, said: “Despite all its talk of ‘the best bio-security in the world’ the Government has failed to test a single wild bird within 50 miles of the affected Bernard Matthews factory farm for the H5N1 virus.

“It would appear that this is in breach of EU regulations designed to stop the spread of the disease – and as such it is an appalling dereliction of duty which could cost British farmers dear.

“If the government doesn’t follow EU rules it is British farmers who will pay the price, as this failure means the disease is more likely to strike again – and the EU will be able to blame the UK Government and deny any compensation claims. I have today demanded the European Commission investigate the Government’s decision to allow the plant to re-open so soon.”

Dr Lucas, who is a member of the European Parliament’s influential Environment Committee and served as Vice-President of the parliament’s Committee of Inquiry into the Government’s handling of the 2001 Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak, made her comments after reports in the UK national press that DEFRA officials admitted wild gulls had been observed feeding from bins at the farm – and could be spreading the disease to other flocks – but that they had not been tested at all.

She added: “It is extraordinarily complacent for the Government to allow the factory to start processing meat destined for the dinner table so quickly.

This decision is premature, both in terms of preventing further outbreaks and protecting consumers’ health. It seems as though it might be taken too soon for the law as well.”

ENDS