Farmers query foot-and-mouth bill

THE cost of dealing with foot-and-mouth disease and supporting the recovery of the rural economy is now expected to be £2.7bn. The National Farmers' Union said it was not clear whether that figure included additional money to help the rural economy, or was merely a statement of the existing state of affairs.

'This is just the bones without anything on it,' said Tony Donaldson, the union's taxation adviser. 'Now we need to know the details to know exactly what is involved.'