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Veterinary Services: Prescriptions

Anne Moffat: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether he plans to extend the prohibition on veterinary surgeons charging for prescriptions when it expires in October 2008. [202765]

Mr. Thomas [holding answer 1 May 2008]: The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) will be monitoring developments closely once the three year prohibition on prescription charges for veterinary medicines end in October 2008. It is a matter for the OFT to consider whether any farther regulatory action may be needed to ensure effective competition in this market.

World Trade Organisation

Mr. Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will make a statement on progress of the Doha round of talks at the World Trade Organisation. [203031]

Mr. Thomas: Negotiations are continuing among World Trade Organisation members in Geneva. The WTO is expected to issue revised negotiating texts on agriculture, non agricultural market access (NAMA) and services in May. This may enable Pascal Lamy, Director General of the WTO, to hold a ministerial meeting to reach agreement on agriculture and NAMA that could pave the way to signing an overall Doha deal by the end of this year.

The Government are working with the EU Trade Commissioner, other EU member states and other WTO members to achieve an ambitious, pro-development outcome to the Doha Round before the end of 2008.

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