Mr. Soames: Our target is for the WEU to be capable of conducting a small-Scale Crisis management mission by the end of 1996.

It is unrealistic to expect a Department such as MAFF to take a Crisis of the Scale of BSE in its stride.

The case that I am not alone in making is that the ingredients exist to generate a full-Scale Crisis in the processing sector.

The Minister suggested that he faces a Crisis of This Scale because it was notpossible to identify the problem at Heddon-on-the-Wall early enough without jumping to conclusions.

There is also the logistical problem of handling a Crisis of This Scale.

At the outset, however, let me urge the Government to consider whether their actions, including the Bill, are adequate to deal with a Crisis of This Scale.

When will we see the mature relationship between Westminster and Holyrood that we should expect in order to tackle an economic Crisis of This Scale?

It is a tragedy that it has taken an economic Crisis of This Scale to enable it to be heard.

We have been investing heavily in strengthening health systems in Sierra Leone through our bilateral aid programme but, barely 10 years after the end of a devastating civil war, health systems are still fragile and unable to cope with a Crisis of This Scale.