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Genetically Engineered Food

26. Mr. Livingstone: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his Department's policy towards genetically engineered food. [36430]

Mrs. Browning: The UK has a well established and internationally respected system for the approval of novel foods including genetically modified foods. The safety of novel foods is assessed by the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes, an independent body of experts set up to advise Agriculture and Health Ministers, and the need for labelling by the independent Food Advisory Committee.

The Government support the concept of an EU regulation on novel foods and novel food ingredients and are actively participating in discussions on the details.

18 Jul 1996 : Column: 634

27. Mr. Connarty: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy on the labelling of foods which have been subject to genetic engineering. [36432]

Mrs. Browning: The Government have accepted the advice of the independent Food Advisory Committee in this area, and have supported the proposed EC regulation on novel foods and novel food ingredients. This would require special labelling for genetically modified foods where these may be significantly different from conventional foods.

Bovine Offals

28. Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many breaches of the ban on specified bovine offals have occurred in abattoirs since 1 May. [36433]

Mrs. Browning: The Meat Hygiene Service is responsible for the day to day enforcement of the specified bovine material controls in licensed fresh meat premises. Between 1 May and 10 July the agency identified three breaches of the SBM legislation. It is following up each of these cases.

As at 10 July, the State Veterinary Service had reported 599 unannounced inspection visits to abattoirs since the 1 May. Of these two 0.3 per cent. were unsatisfactory. Problems encountered related to a number of relatively minor infractions, such as incorrect record keeping and storage. Any case involving a serious breach of these provisions will be investigated with a view to prosecution.

Birds (Insect Control)

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the insect pest control benefits of certain species of bird; and if he will make a statement. [37366]

Mrs. Browning: This Department has commissioned no research on this subject and therefore has had none to evaluate.

Sheep Dip

Mr. Chris Davies: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many deaths amongst farmers and agricultural workers have been attributed to the use of organophosphate sheep dips and similar treatments since 1980. [37440]

Mrs. Browning: Under the suspected adverse reaction surveillance scheme, officials at the Veterinary Medicines Directorate are aware of a total of four deaths in connection with OP sheep dips since the records were computerised in 1984.

Mr. Davies: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated which shows a correlation between the use of organophosphate sheep dips and similar treatments, and the incidence of suicide amongst farmers; and if he will make a statement. [37439]

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Mr. Bowis: I have been asked to reply.

A three-year study by the institute of occupational medicine at Edinburgh university, to examine the neuropsychological effects of the use of organophosphate sheep dips, was commissioned jointly by the Department of Health, the Health and Safety Executive and the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food, in November 1995. The study will seek to establish whether there are any links between abnormalities of the human nervous system and exposure to sheep dips.

Animal Feed (Wood Flour)

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what analysis he has made of wood flour as used in animal feeds; and if he will make a statement. [37914]

Mrs. Browning: We are not aware of the use of wood flour in animal feeds. The Feeding Stuffs Regulations 1995 prohibit the use in compound feeds of wood, sawdust or other materials derived from wood if they have been treated with wood protection products. In addition under the Agriculture Act 1970, it is an offence to sell, or have in possession with a view to sale, any material which is deleterious to animals or, through the consumption of animal products, deleterious to human beings.

Pesticides Safety Directorate

Mr. Elletson: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the Pesticides Safety Directorate has revised its framework document since its launch as an executive agency on 1 April 1993. [38777]

Mr. Douglas Hogg: The Pesticides Safety Directorate has revised its framework document with effect from 1 April 1996. The revised document, a copy of which will be placed in the Library of the House, reflects the changes and developments that have occurred since the directorate's launch as an agency three years ago. The changes will help the agency to build upon its record of success in the coming years.

Central Science Laboratory

Mr. Elletson: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of the prior options review of the Central Science Laboratory. [38775]

Mr. Douglas Hogg: Following the prior options review of the Central Science Laboratory, the Government have decided to seek the views of independent consultants. My Department has approached potential consultants and expects to make an appointment shortly.

This further study will consider the options of retention in the public sector as an executive agency, contractorisation and privatisation. It is expected to be completed in October 1996.

ADAS (Research and Development)

Mr. Marland: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the

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outcome of the prior options review of Agricultural Development Advisory Service research and development. [38776]

Mr. Douglas Hogg: Following the prior options review the Government have decided that all of ADAS's research and development functions are suitable for privatisation. I announced on 28 June 1995 at column 696 that most of ADAS's non-research and development functions would be privatised. The ADAS research centres will therefore form part of the body to be transferred to the private sector.

My Department is now appointing financial advisers to assist us in managing the sale of all the ADAS functions which do not need to be retained in the public sector. The timing of the sale will be decided in the light of their advice.

Slaughtered Cattle (Disposal)

Mrs. Helen Jackson: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to the oral statement of 20 March, Official Report, columns 375-86, what research he (a) has commissioned and (b) plans to commission into the effects on the water supply of the disposal of (i) offal and (ii) other waste from the slaughter of cattle on agricultural land. [23005]

Mrs. Browning [holding answer 26 March 1996]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her on 16 April, Official Report, column 466.

Beef Exports

Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the cash value of (a) imports and (b) exports of beef meat and beef meat products for the United Kingdom in each of the last three years for each trading partner. [29622]

Mrs. Browning [holding answer 16 May 1996]: I very much regret that the hon. Member has had to wait so long for a reply.

Total imports and exports of beef meat and beef meat products, as recorded in the overseas trade statistics, and for the United Kingdom's top 10 trading partners for each of the last three years, are as follows:

Exports of meat and meat offal of bovine animals£ thousand

	1993	1994(11)	1995(11)
Total all countries	389,634	500,744	604,525
of which to:
France	183,443	221,674	251,952
Italy	48,280	59,892	92,224
Netherlands	51,180	58,747	66,679
Irish Republic	19,516	43,736	55,876
South Africa	3,956	9,440	23,834
Spain	11,654	20,851	18,318
Denmark	5,301	7,719	17,263
Belgium/Luxembourg	11,478	12,965	17,150
Germany	10,441	10,348	9,144
Portugal	991	2,985	8,356
Other	43,394	52,387	43,729

(11) Provisional.

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Exports of prepared and preserved beef£ thousand

	1993	1994(12)	1995(12)
Total all countries	8,273	12,179	11,711
of which to:
Irish Republic	3,779	4,237	4,221
Germany	1,440	2,708	2,088
France	555	1,060	1,158
Netherlands	438	466	640
Greece	42	693	616
Portugal	1	714	432
Spain	316	346	406
Sweden	131	205	310
Denmark	31	203	279
Belgium/Luxembourg	220	235	241
Other	1,319	1,310	1,323

(12) Provisional.

Imports of meat and meat offal of bovine animals£ thousand

	1993	1994(13)	1995(13)
Total all countries	406,719	323,456	400,187
of which from:
Irish Republic	180,262	136,836	158,787
France	29,258	23,980	32,841
Zimbabwe	31,764	20,137	30,296
Australia	30,921	24,256	25,623
Argentina	7,138	10,442	24,006
Netherlands	28,541	27,032	23,535
Uruguay	12,514	11,808	22,796
Botswana	17,417	12,457	17,682
Namibia	14,394	16,117	17,544
Brazil	13,992	9,542	11,740
Other	40,519	30,851	35,338

Imports of prepared and preserved beef£ thousand

	1993	1994(13)	1995(13)
Total all countries	159,841	148,905	201,602
of which from:
Brazil	86,036	68,793	85,533
Argentina	20,457	22,121	40,270
Irish Republic	24,652	24,945	35,837
Mauritius	3,180	7,678	8,215
Zimbabwe	8,536	6,770	8,085
Uruguay	4,511	5,119	7,674
Netherlands	1,199	3,225	6,262
Switzerland	0	0	2,137
Botswana	2,075	1,931	1,945
United States of America	77	618	1,477
Other	9,118	7,705	4,167

(13) Provisional. Bovine meat which is not separately identifiable is excluded.

Totals do not necessarily equal the sum of their components due to rounding.

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