Opinion

Anyone who believed the slanging match in the Commons on Monday would do anything to finally lift the worldwide ban on British beef was living in cloud-cuckoo-land. Douglas Hogg, the most beleaguered cabinet minister since John Profumo, may have survived the Labour Party's censure motion, but the BSE spectre looks set to haunt him for some time. Indeed, those who have followed, and suffered, the past 11 months of trauma could be forgiven for asking whether the proceedings made matters worse and had no constructive purpose. The debate's climax came with the Government conceding £9 million worth of additional compensation for Northern Ireland's beef industry ­ a move which reflects the political power currently being wielded by Ulster Unionists. NI beef producers have sought special treatment in export markets for months. Their cattle sector involves high quality specialist beef production, more so than in England or even Scotland. BSE incidence has always been relatively low in the province. And, significantly, even EU notables like Farm Commissioner Franz Fischler have expressed sympathy for the notion that there should be a gradual lifting of the worldwide exports ban. While fencing off the Opposition jibes on Monday, Hogg said the policies and proposals already in place would implicitly favour Ulster. But he did not go quite so far as to say he would explicitly make a case in Northern Ireland's favour even though the region depends far more on exports of beef than any other UK area. The Government has been reluctant to make a specific case for NI, because to do so would upset the Scots, who are direct competitors against Ulster in export markets. Some Scottish beef industry leaders are already on record as publicly threatening strong protests against any "favouritism" towards Ulster producers. Hogg has a dilemma as he resumes his commuter trips to Brussels. Lifting of the worldwide ban is certain to be a gradual process. But until the Government takes a specific stance on the Ulster herd issue, it is unlikely to make progress.{{NEWS}}