CAB128-94_A1b — Page 188

CONFIDENTIAL

FAIRS

IndustMa Action

the Amblance Service

IDENTI

Previous Reference:

(89) 33.2

Page 188

2. THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR HEALTH said that there had been relatively few developments in the industrial action by ambulance workers during the previous week. The Armed Forces, together with the police and voluntary services, had been remarkably successful in providing an accident and emergency service in London. There had been no serious problems, and public and press interest in the dispute had therefore waned. He remained pessimistic about the prospects of an early Settlement to the dispute. The action was likely to spread over the next few days to the West Midlands and other regions: the Armed Forces were on standby to be called in there if necessary. He had spoken to regional Chairmen to encourage them to react in aonsistent way to increased Union action in different amance services. At a press conference the previous day he had sought to move matters forward by indicating that pay talks could resume if the Unions agreed to operate the 999 emergency service normally in London and the rest of the country. He had also said that local pay additions might be available for ambulance workers with paramedical skills. The Unions showed no sign of moving heir position, however, and continued to press for a substantial increase with movements in their pay to be linked in future those of other emergency service workers. These demands continue to be resisted. Accepting them

and would have damaging sequences for future pay negotiations in

the National Health Service, and elsewhere.

ONFIDEN

Contaminated Animal Feed

Previous Reference: OC(89) 33.4

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE

RIES AND FOOD said that the

problems caused by the import of contaminated animal feed had now been contained. It was not expected that the price of milk would rise because of the restrictions which had had to be imposed. Lower levels of lead were how being found in milk. There would therefore be growing pressure to remove the restrictions, which presently cover some 1,400 farms. The pressure would be greater because the farmers involved had no means of gaining swift compensation from the feed merchants. longer term problem lay in deciding whether the animals who had eaten the contaminated feed could be slaughtered for human consumption. Testing for lead in meat was very complicated and the processes for doing it were only just being established. The decision would therefore not be easy to reach and could be controversial.

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The Cabinet

Took note.

2

CONFIDENTIAL

A

ONFIDENTIAL

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