UK Agriculture Minister Nick Brown was interviewed by Jeremy Paxman on BBC2's Newsnight shortly after France announced that it would not after all lift its ban on British beef.

Jeremy Paxman:This is a tremendous slap in the face isn't it?

Nick Brown: It is a very big disappointment. The British government has tried very hard to give the French government the clarifications and the guarantees that they sought. It is particularly disappointing that at first reading of the statement they seem to be unable to lift the ban on precisely the points that we sought to give them the clarification that they sought.

JP: So what are you going to do next?

NB: Well we couldn't have tried or worked harder to get this disagreement resolved by discussion. Since the French government have said no to us - although I do want to study the text of their statement carefully - we have no alternative but to press ahead, pursue our case through the courts.

JP: Well that is going to take years.

NB: No. It will not. I have been in touch with the (European) Commission. We are seeking an expedited procedure. I understand the Commission, who are in the lead in the court case, will be making a statement tomorrow [Thursday].

JP: There is a statement just issued from Downing Street which says the prime minister has spoken to the French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin to protest. But apart form protesting there is not much he can do.

NB: No. That is not right. Because we are members of the European Union, because we have the European Union law and the judgement of the European Scientific Committee clearly on our side; because the commission are backing us up; because 13 of the 15 member states have already lifted their ban we are in a very strong position indeed. The method of getting this resolved, now since it seems it cannot be resolved by discussion, is through the courts. And that is precisely where we are going to pursue our case.

JP: But haven't you comprehensively misread this? You were assuring us only a couple of weeks ago that the ban would be lifted by Christmas.

NB: No. I was saying that was my hope. It's not a decision for me, it is for the French government and they haven't felt able to do so. We were always right to try to secure a resolution of this by agreement. We haven't been able to get it. We will now fight our corner through the courts

JP: Have you spoken to your French counterpart tonight?

NB: I have rung his office. We have spoken to officials. I haven't been able to speak Jean personally. But I expect to meet him next week.

JP: What did you say?

NB: I reiterated what the prime minister said to Jospin. We are very disappointed.

JP: Is that all? You just said you were disappointed.

NB: Well, I am not going to go through everything that was said in a preliminary discussion.

JP: Well, why not?

NB: We have only just heard the news. I will set out my stall as I want, not in response to hectoring.

JP: But I am sorry, it is not hectoring, Mr Brown. It's just a straightforward question , Mr Brown. The whole hopes of the British beef industry rested on the decision of the French government. You speak to his office and you just say you were disappointed?

NB: No. We have told the French government more than that. They know we will be seeking to pursue our case through the courts.

JP: But that could, as you say, take a long time.

NB: No. It doesn't have to take a long time. We are seeking an expedited procedure.

JP: But one of the reasons that you said we should try to get them to lift it voluntarily was because legal action could take, if I recall you correctly, at least many months.

NB: Yep that is correct. Even an expedited...

JP: Well, I call that a long time, don't you?

NB: Well, even an expedited procedure will take months, that is right. It will take longer than getting this resolved by discussion. But since we don't seem to be able to get this resolved by discussion - and my God we have tried - we now have to enforce our rights through the courts.

JP: And you don't accept that you have misread this?

NB: No. I do not. I think we were always right to try to resolve this through discussion. But remember legal action has already commenced.

JP: Nick Brown, thanks very much for joining us.