The advent of mad cow disease spread fear across Europe and led to the slaughter of thousands of cattle. Then along came foot and mouth disease and more slaughter. The public was assured by the Tories that beef was safe, and now Blairs government is using respectable scientists to say there is NO risk of mad cow disease jumping species from cattle to Sheep.

Hugh Pennington, professor of bacteriology at the University of Aberdeen, and a leading expert on food health and safety, said there was absolutely no evidence of BSE in sheep and suggested the report was unhelpful to the debate.

However, even though this man may be honest and sincere in his belief, we cannot take the chance to repeat the destruction of the Scottish sheep industry AND the beef industry. Westminster LIES, so the Scottish executive should enforce its own rules about sheep/lamb screening for Scottish stock and for stock coming into Scotland from outside.