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COMMISSION NEED TO LEND AN EAR
The sheer impracticality of a scheme to have every
sheep within the European Union carry two identifying
ear tags made my blood boil this month. I was
also annoyed with the European Commission about
the lack of information they provided when I asked
for the costs of this scheme – one which
will be impractical for sheep farmers in Scotland
and elsewhere to implement. Fancy roaming the
hills, tagging every single newborn lamb –
twice! Identification individually of large volumes
of sheep will have to be manually recorded and
it will all make the whole operation impossibly
cumbersome and expensive. Imagine each sheep’s
ear tag will have to be read separately as they
pass through auction marts – absurd! The
Commission should wait until it is possible to
have a reliable electronic system. Such a system
will soon be available but it needs to be hastened
along. Meanwhile, I have asked the Commission
once again for more detailed information about
the scheme. Sheep farmers watch this space.
LESSONS TO BE LEARNT FROM OIL DISASTER
A number of lessons can be learnt from the recent
disaster in which the oil tanker Prestige broke
up off the coast of Spain, causing huge environmental
damage. The problem of so-called ports or zones
of refuge will have to be tackled, not only in
Galicia, off whose coast the Prestige broke up,
but EU-wide. Only the United Kingdom has a system
of sheltered areas and ports of refuge for ships
in distress in its coastal waters. But a report
from the European Parliament has called on the
other member states to devise plans for maritime
safety zones along their own coasts and the European
Commission has already urged governments to do
so by 1 July 2003. Other recommendations include
the need for tighter maritime traffic control
and an EU-wide compensation system for victims
of maritime pollution set up. The replacement
of old and single-hulled trawlers with new double-hulled
vessels is to be speeded up. However, there is
no substitute for good standards of seamanship,
management and maintenance to avoid such catastrophes.
ADDED TRAINING FOR DRIVERS
A common training structure for lorry drivers
in the EU was agreed this month by the European
Parliament. The move should transform training
for truck and bus drivers in many countries. A
system of continual training beyond initial qualification,
with drivers obliged to return to a training centre
for a minimum of seven hours a year might be a
reassuring safety measure. The additional training
may not necessarily be about driving but can focus
on other aspects of the industry, for example
on the prevention of illegal immigrants and crime
prevention in general. The fly in the ointment
is the additional expense to business. Most companies
would probably consider that the cost of an additional
seven hours per year for each driver is money
well spent if their safety record is noticeably
enhanced. But this depends on the training being
of high quality.
CHOCOLATE HEAVEN – BUT NOT IN SCOTLAND
Ten per cent of UK children – a large percentage
of them in Scotland - are considered obese and
among the fattest in Europe. Healthy eating campaigns
amongst the young abound in Scotland and across
member states. However, the UK government is in
the ridiculous position of encouraging a well
known chocolate manufacturer promote its wares
by offering sports equipment to school children
by collecting tokens with a chocolate product.
In other words, the UK Department of Health is
attempting to tackle obesity while the Sports
Minister is telling kids to get down to the sweetie
shop without delay. At least Scottish Members
of Parliament have been too busy with May electioneering
to get involved in such goings-on as all their
time has been taken up in sweet-talking the electorate.
John Purvis is a member of the
Committee on Industry, External Trade Research
and Energy and Vice Chairman of the Committee
on Economic and Monetary Affairs. He can be contacted
by e-mail at
jpurvis@europarl.eu.int or visit his website
on www.scottishtorymeps.org.uk.
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