As part of his duties on the DEFRA Select Committee, George was involved in the quizzing of two leading agricultural economists about the impact of the ongoing CAP reforms on UK agriculture. There was much speculation about the differing effects of the various proposed solutions, and George raised the important issue of worldwide animal welfare standards. It is difficult for CAP countries to compete on price whilst countries outside of the CAP fail to adhere to the same high standards of animal welfare - Professor Swinbank, Professor Emeritus at the University of Reading, admitted that "the EU has not been sufficiently courageous in doing what it wanted to do in these sorts of areas".