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MEPs vote to Scrap Controls on Yorkshire's Farmers
October 23, 2001 12:00 AM
Euro MPs considering the draft EU Vibrations Directive voted today not to proceed with controls on tractor drivers and other farm workers.
The draft directive proposed to restrict the hours that farmers could spend on their tractors each day, but a Liberal Democrat sponsored amendment won support of other MEPs.
Diana Wallis, Lib Dem MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber, hailed the result as 'great news':
"I am delighted to see that MEPs agreed with the Liberal Democrats that these controls were totally impractical and not in any way justified by scientific evidence. This is a victory for common sense - at least for agriculture and forestry.
"The un-amended draft proposal would have caused massive problems and expense for many Yorkshire farmers. It would have been crazy to force thousands out of business for no good reason."
The amendment in practical terms means the idea has been kicked into touch for Agriculture and Forestry. These sectors will be excluded from the Vibrations Directive for five years.
"Parliament will then look at the matter again in the light of new scientific research," continued Diana Wallis. "At the moment, there is no evidence of a measurable link between whole body vibration and ill health."
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