To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to require farmers to pay a greater proportion of the costs of annual disease control. (113319)

A public consultation on the principles of responsibility and cost sharing for animal health and welfare activities for England was launched on 11 December 2006.

We intend to follow this consultation on principles with a more detailed consultation later this year on specific proposals. This will include an impact assessment on policy options.

Our intention is to introduce a Bill in the third session of Parliament to take forward responsibility and cost sharing.