The British Prime Minister has promised to examine the case for compensating the racing industry for losses due to the foot-and-mouth disease causing disruption to the fixture list.
MP David Rendel urged Tony Blair to acknowledge that racing had lost a number of meetings this year (70 jumps fixtures up to April 28th) due to foot-and-mouth disease. He pointed out that self-employed jockeys are particularly hard hit, since they only get paid for each ride.
The only compensation offered so far by the Rural Task Force has been rate relief.
'I am delighted that the Prime Minister has pledged to personally look into the case for compensation,' Rendel said.
'I hope that the Government will at last recognise the need to compensate all those who, through no fault of their own, have suffered losses in the effort to bring this terrible outbreak to an end.'
