To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his policy is on the compulsory use of electronic identification for sheep; and if he will make a statement. (203078)

EC Council Regulation 21/2004 provides for the mandatory introduction of electronic identification (EID) of sheep and goats from 31 December 2009 for member states with flocks above a certain threshold number. In the UK only sheep will have to be electronically identified. We will be working in partnership with industry over the coming months to discuss how we can implement EID in a way which is practical and which the industry can make work.