THE BRITISH government declared yesterday that it would slaughter all of the UK's 11 million cattle if scientists believed it would prevent the spread of mad cow disease to human beings. France and Belgium announced an immediate ban on British beef imports, until further notice.
In an attempt to persuade other European countries that their decision was "unreasonable, unnecessary and probably illegal", the British government immediately sent two scientists to Brussels to argue their case.
A Europe wide ban would devastate Britain's £4 billion beef industry. France is the biggest single market for British beef exports, worth £220 million out of a total market of £520 million.
The Agriculture Minister, Mr Douglas Hogg, described the French ban as "unreasonable, unnecessary and probably illegal". He insisted the government would raise it with the European Commission as a "matter of urgency".
"It is a wholly disproportionate response and that I think raises very strong questions of illegality. In view of the action we have taken, consumers, wherever they may be, can eat British beef with confidence", he said.
The Health Secretary, Mr Stephen Dorrell, argued that it was important not to over react. But he admitted that the government would consider slaughtering all 11 million cattle in Britain if scientists recommended it.
It is estimated that such a move, which was last implemented in Britain in 1967 to combat foot and mouth disease, would cost £20 billion. "It is one of the options that is open," said Mr Dorrell.
A spokesman for the Agriculture Department also admitted that British beef which had been exported to Ireland could be sold in Britain labelled as Irish beef.
"If livestock is exported to Ireland, it can be sold in England as Irish beef." It simply depended upon which country exported the meat.
"We are following EL guidelines," he added.
A third of British schools are now believed to have banned beef from their dinner menus following the government's announcement that a new strain of Creutzleldt Jakob Disease - the human form of mad cow disease - appears to affect younger people.
More schools are expected to join the boycott after the government's specialist Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee announces its recommendations this weekend on the implications for children of eating British beef. The boycotts are mainly at the request of parents.
Although Mr Dorrell said he could understand parents' concerns, he hoped the scientists would be able to offer appropriate advice. He declined to say if he would allow his own two children to eat beefburgers.
"I well understand that people are worried by the question, is there a particular risk for beef eating among small children?
"That is a precise question to which we have not yet received a precise answer and that is why I have asked the scientists to address that question and to give us an answer by this weekend," he said.
But a former British government health adviser, Sir Bernard Tomlinson, warned parents that children should not eat certain beef related products.
Under no circumstances eat offal at this time, or anything you think might contain it. Even now when one eats beef it is possible you are getting a very small dose," he said.
After an emergency meeting, Britain's principal supermarket chains stated yesterday that they would continue to sell British beef unless they were advised by the government to withdraw it. They stressed that their produce met all safety requirements.
At livestock markets the number of cattle for sale dropped by 75 per cent yesterday. Farmers stayed away because they expected prices to fall rapidly.