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Milk Marketing Boards

Mr. John D. Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any proposals for changes in the role and responsibilities of the five milk marketing boards in the context of the European Community.

Mr. Curry : I have repeatedly made clear my views that our milk marketing arrangements need to be more flexible and market-oriented. The current pricing and allocation arrangements do not serve our industry well in meeting the increasing competition within the Community, but it is for the industry, not Government, to identify the changes needed. Therefore, I am not making proposals but am encouraging the Milk Marketing Board and the Dairy Trade Federation to come forward with their own proposals. I will do all I can to assist them.

Fishing Industry

Mr. Austin Mitchell : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met members of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations to discuss quotas.

Mr. Curry : I last met representatives of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations during my visit to Hastings on 14 May. A number of issues were discussed of importance to fishermen locally and nationally including United Kingdom quotas and their management.

Poultry Industry

Mr. Geraint Howells : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the present state of the poultry industry.

Mr. Curry : The market for poultrymeat remains firm and stable. Packer to producer prices for eggs are well above the levels for this time last year.

Agricultural Research and Development

51. Mr. Sean Hughes : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the future of agricultural research and development.

Mr. Gummer : I believe agricultural research and development will continue to make a strong and important contribution in the future. My Department is committed to R and D as a means of stimulating technological development in the agricultural industry, and I have encouraged the industry to invest more in its own future. In addition we support work which is aimed at issues of public interest such as food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection.

Irradiated Food

52. Mr. O'Brien : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements are being made to ensure customers have a choice in relation to the purchase of irradiated food ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gummer : I have already stated several times that we intend that consumers will be given clear information

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indicating whether foodstuffs have been irradiated. The EC food labelling directive has been amended to provide for the appropriate labelling of prepacked foodstuffs. I propose to introduce requirements extending the provisions to non-prepacked foodstuffs and food sold through catering outlets. I shall be consulting interested parties on my proposals in due course.

Fish Licensing

Mr. Harris : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to issue a consultation paper about further changes to the fish licensing arrangements.

Mr. Curry : We will be circulating within the next few days to fishing industry organisations a consultation document on Government proposals for further changes to the United Kingdom's licensing system for fishing vessels, which would allow fishermen to acquire increased fishing opportunities without necessarily increasing their fishing capacity. Comments are required by 31 July. Subject to the views expressed, it is hoped to introduce the new arrangements in 1991. Copies of the consultation document have been placed in the Library of the House.

Bovine Somatotropin

Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether milk collected from cows injected with bovine somatotropin is still on sale to the public ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Maclean : Yes. The Veterinary Products Committee has confirmed its advice that there is no risk to consumers.

Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a further statement on the animal welfare implications of bovine somatotropin.

Mr. Maclean : We attach great importance to animal safety and welfare and I know that the Veterinary Products Committee is examining in detail the short and long-term welfare implications of BST with the help of data from the current field trials.

Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research has been undertaken to establish differences in molecular structure between naturally occurring and genetically engineered bovine somatotropin ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Maclean : Among the data required from companies in support of their applications for ATCs and PLs are the results of their research to establish the molecular structure of their BST material and an account of any differences from natural versions of BST.

Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will outline the Department's policy in respect of bovine somatotropin.

Mr. Maclean : The Department's policy has not changed : no licence for any BST product shall be issued until an applicant company satisfies independent experts that it meets stringent criteria of safety, quality and efficacy as required by the Medicines Act.

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Mr. Matthew Taylor : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a further statement on the residue levels in milk from cows injected with bovine somatotropin.

Mr. Maclean : The Veterinary Products Committee has concluded that BST levels in milk from cows injected with BST fall within the normal range of variability.

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy

Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether he will now carry out random tests for bovine spongiform encephalopathy on slaughtered cattle heads ; and if he will make a statement ;

(2) whether he will now stop feeding pigs and other animals cattle offal to prevent the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy ; and if he will make a statement ;

(3) whether he will now impose a statutory ban on the use of sheep and cattle offal in pet food ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gummer : I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) on 16 May.

Spongiform Encephalopathy

Dr. David Clark : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make available to Dr. Natrang of the public health laboratory at Newcastle brain tissues from the cat recently found to have spongiform encephalopathy for further diagnostic analysis.

Mr. Gummer : No. Samples from this cat were referred to the central veterinary laboratory by Bristol veterinary school for a definitive diagnosis.

Waste Disposal

Mr. Simon Hughes : To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why the 1987 licence to dump explosives from ICI's Nobel division in the Clyde estuary was excluded from the 1989 disposal of waste at sea report ; what other licences granted in respect of dumping at sea have been excluded from the report ; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Curry : Disposal at sea in Scottish waters is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. The report published in 1989 covered dumping of wastes at sea throughout Great Britain in 1986 and 1987 and includes all licences issued for that purpose for England and Wales under part II of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985. In covering licensed dumping at sea it did not extend to operations exempt from licensing under the Deposits in the Sea (Exemptions) Order 1985 (SI 1985 No. 1699), nor to materials dumped by the Ministry of Defence which have Crown exemption from licensing.

The report was not intended to deal with other activities controlled by licensing under part II of the Act, including construction works below mean high water, use of tracers in research, application of biocides and burial at sea.

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