I have maintained ongoing contact throughout the FMD crisis with my counterparts in London and Belfast. Such contacts have encompassed bilateral meetings and contacts at the Council of Agriculture Ministers.
There has also been ongoing contact at official level and a regular sharing of information in regard to disease trends and developments. Officials from both countries have participated at various committees at EU level.
It is not possible to predict with certainty when the final case of FMD will occur in the UK. The number of confirmed cases stand in the region of 1,600 to 15 May 2001. The current trends are promising and I believe there are strong indications that the UK can put the disease behind it within the next few months.