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Eggs

Mr. Paice: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what proportion of UK egg production is from (a) battery, (b) deep litter, (c) barn and (d) free range systems; and what were the figures 10 years ago; [18377]

(2) how many eggs were produced by UK producers in 1996; and how many were imported from (a) other EU countries and (b) non-EU countries; [18376]

(3) how many laying hens are currently housed in (a) battery, (b) deep litter, (c) barn and (d) free range systems. [18378]

Mr. Rooker: In 1996, 774 million dozen eggs were produced by UK producers for human consumption, 52 million dozen ¹ were imported from EC countries and 1 million dozen ¹ were imported from non EC countries.

In 1996, 86 per cent. of eggs were produced by intensive systems, 11 per cent. were produced by free range systems and 3 per cent. were produced by perchery and other systems. This level of detail was not collected 10 years ago, and therefore no equivalent comparison can be made.

No information is available on the number of hens split by production systems.

¹ Includes shell egg and shell egg equivalent of whole (dried, frozen and liquid) egg and egg yolk, but excludes albumen.

Mr. Paice: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many eggs were imported from countries where mammalian meat and bone meal is incorporated in feedstuffs during 1996. [18379]

Mr. Rooker: During 1996, 52 million dozen ¹ eggs were imported from EC countries and 1 million dozen ¹ were imported from non-EC countries. We believe that most of these are destined for processing. We do not have detailed information on legislation on all feed controls in place elsewhere but are unaware of any measures in place in other countries, during 1996 or before, banning mammalian meat and bonemeal (MBM) from non-ruminant feed. The poultry feed may therefore have included MBM.

¹ Includes shell egg and shell egg equivalent of whole (dried, frozen and liquid) egg and egg yolk, but excludes albumen.

Mr. Paice: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what proposals he intends to make to the EU Council of Ministers during the UK Presidency regarding battery systems of egg production; [18381]

(2) what steps he is taking regarding phasing out battery systems of egg production. [18380]

Mr. Rooker: We aim to phase out the conventional battery cage. This needs to be achieved at the European level, by developing measures in the Council of Ministers. That is why we are pressing the Commission to submit urgently for negotiation in the Council its proposals to update the EU rules on the welfare of laying hens.

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Mr. Paice: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that imported eggs and poultry meat meet the hygiene requirements for United Kingdom producers. [18388]

Mr. Rooker: The import conditions for trade in poultrymeat and eggs within the Community, and for imports from third countries, are governed by Community legislation. The EU shell egg marketing legislation and Council Decision 94/371 both provide for and apply a maximum "best-before" limit of 28 days after lay for the marketing of shell eggs. These provisions are enforced by the relevant enforcement authorities including the Egg Marketing Inspectorate.

Ritually Slaughtered Animals

Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to ensure that all ritually slaughtered meat is clearly labelled as such. [17254]

Mr. Rooker: We shall cover this approach in our forthcoming discussions with the religious communities about all aspects of religious slaughter.

Technology Foresight

Dr. Starkey: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in what ways his Department's research priorities have been modified in response to Technology Foresight. [17426]

Mr. Rooker: An analysis of the Department's research programme has shown that some 90 per cent. of it currently aligns with the Foresight recommendations. Since the Foresight programme started, the Department has initiated new LINK programmes on Horticulture, Aquaculture and Sustainable Livestock Production and has established a Diet and Health Funders Group, all of which reflect Foresight recommendations.

Dr. Starkey: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what Technology Foresight priorities are being taken into account in the forward planning of the Department's scientific research programme. [17425]

Mr. Rooker: The Department has played an active role in the Foresight panels dealing with Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry, Food and Drink, and the Marine. Our planned R and D already closely aligns with Foresight recommendations and we shall continue to be guided by the recommendations of panels in planning our future programmes.

Organic Farming

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what help and access he has given the United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards to ensure it can regulate organic farms effectively with particular reference to the origin of cattle bought by organic farmers; and if he will make a statement on the current constraints of commercial confidentiality affecting access to information in this area. [17748]

Mr. Rooker: Under the rules of the United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards (UKROFS) organic farmers may buy in only cattle from herds which have not

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had any case of BSE in the previous 6 years. It is the responsibility of the organic farmer to demonstrate compliance with this rule.

The Government have given an undertaking to make information on the BSE history of herds available to organic purchasers of animals provided that the consent of the owner of the herd to which the information relates can be obtained. However, the legal constraints are considerable and it has taken time to make sure that the procedures we propose are legally defensible. Administrative instructions are now being finalised and the Department will write to interested parties to inform them of the new arrangements next week.

Chocolate

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the United Kingdom Government's position will be at the meeting of the Council of Ministers when they discuss the labelling of chocolate with regard to (a) vegetable fat and (b) milk content; and if he will make a statement [17747]

Mr. Rooker: In the Council of Ministers, the Government will press for a new chocolate Directive which allows the full range of different European chocolate-making traditions to co-exist within a single, harmonised market and which increases consumer choice throughout the EU. It will oppose any measures which would discriminate against UK products or change the names under which those products have been sold for many years and which are familiar to UK consumers.

BSE (Headboning Businesses)

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many headboning businesses closed as a result of the tightening of BSE controls; and what was the impact on employment. [17722]

Mr. Rooker: I regret that no record is held centrally of the information requested.

Vitamin B6 Supplements

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultation he undertook with international experts on nutrition prior to making his decision to introduce restrictions on the retail sale of higher dose vitamin B6 supplements. [17819]

Mr. Rooker: The Government's decision to restrict the level of vitamin B6 in dietary supplements sold under food law was based in part on advice from the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT). Members of the COT include internationally recognised experts in a range of disciplines including nutrition.

In considering the safety of vitamin B6, the COT took account of the nutritional requirements for this vitamin that had been established by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA) as part of its review of food energy and nutrient requirements of groups of people in the United Kingdom. Those carrying out this review included a number of nutritionists of international standing. International experts representing the EU Scientific Committee for Food and other experts from the European Community acted as observers.

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Green Pound

Mr. Paice: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the average impact on individual producers of his Department claiming in full the compensation available from the EU resulting from each significant revaluation of the Green Pound during 1997. [18098]

Mr. Rooker [holding answer 27 November 1997]: No. The compensation which HMG could pay under the EU rules to offset the income effects of green rate revaluations this year stands at around £980 million, of which up to half may be reclaimed from the EU budget. It would be for Ministers to decide the mechanisms for distributing any such aid to the four sectors eligible for assistance under the EU rules.

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