The government is "cautiously optimistic that the worst is over" in the foot-and-mouth crisis, the British agriculture minister, Mr Nick Brown, said today.
But he said there would be "sporadic outbreaks" of the disease "for some time to come".
In a Commons statement, Mr Brown said: "We cannot afford to let our guard drop for a moment. We are determined to see this operation through to a successful conclusion."
He announced that he was pressing ahead with a ban on pig swill, the possible source of the disease.
His comments came after the prime minister had earlier said the government was now on the "home straight" in the battle against the foot-and-mouth outbreak.
PA
