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Monsanto
Mr. Baker: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what matters were discussed at the meetings held between Ministers and Monsanto on (a) 29 June 1998 and (b) 15 July 1998. [63385]
Mr. Nick Brown [holding answer 15 December 1998]: These were private meetings at which matters relevant to both MAFF and Monsanto were discussed.
Growth Hormones
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received on the EU moratorium on the use of the BST growth hormone in dairy cattle; and if it is his policy to maintain the moratorium. [64224]
Mr. Rooker: Various representations have been made concerning the use of BST including some from members of the public in official correspondence. Also, new scientific information has been published which will be considered by a sub-group of the independent scientific Veterinary Products Committee (VPC). Once the information has been considered, we will be guided by the advice of the VPC in discussions on the future of the Community moratorium.
American Sugar
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received
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concerning the level of import levy on American sugar; for what reasons it is set at its current level; and when the level was last changed. [64236]
Mr. Rooker:
I have not received any representations about the level of the EU import tariff on American sugar. The current level was set as part of the EU's obligations agreed under the Uruguay Round of world trade negotiations concluded in 1994. Under these obligations the level of import tariff is reduced annually from 1995-2000 (a total reduction of 20 per cent.). In addition to this tariff the EU can, when the import price falls below an agreed level, apply an additional safeguard duty to protect EU producers. The most recent change in the safeguard duty for white sugar was on 2 December 1998.
Mr. David Heath:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the risk of import of Kashmir Bee virus through infected bee packages from New Zealand. [64250]
Mr. Rooker:
The Central Science Laboratory's National Bee Unit is currently conducting a risk assessment exercise relating to the import of bees and specifically to the risk of introducing Kashmir Bee virus from New Zealand.
A decision on whether to allow the import of bee packages will not be taken until the results of this assessment are available.
Mr. Evans:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what powers the EU has under existing bilateral and multilateral trade agreements to enforce harmonised community rules in third countries. [64282]
Mr. Rooker:
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures gives members, including the European Community, the right to take measures necessary for the protection of human, animal or plant life or health which are based on scientific principles and which do not arbitrarily or unjustifiably discriminate between members where identical or similar conditions prevail. The Community's import requirements for animal products, which seek to ensure that imports are produced to at least the same standard as Community production, are an example of such measures.
In accordance with the provisions on recognition of equivalence in the WTO Agreement, the Community has entered into specific bilateral agreements with certain third countries which formally recognise that their respective systems of sanitary measures are intended to provide similar health assurances. These agreements, such as the Agreement between the European Community and the USA on sanitary measures to protect public and animal health in trade in live animals and animal products, include provisions enabling both parties to verify compliance by way of on-site checks and inspections.
Mr. Evans:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the occasions in the last 10 years when a guarantee offered by a third country with
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regard to compliance with Community rules regarding the importation of fresh meat or meat products subsequently proved ineffective. [64285]
Mr. Rooker:
This information is not available. However, figures provided by the European Commission on the checks carried out at Border Inspection Posts in 10 Member States in the first half of 1997 show that 3.69 per cent. of consignments of fresh meat, including offal, and meat products and 2.00 per cent. of poultry meat and poultry meat products were rejected on arrival. In the period 1 January to 30 September 1998, 1.5 per cent. of consignments of animal products of all types were rejected at UK Border Inspection Posts. Not all rejections are due to non-compliance with standards of production in the country of origin.
Mr. Evans:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reasons he has not abated the standard charge for Meat Hygiene Service services to abattoirs as provided for in the Council Directive 85/73/EEC (as amended). [64283]
Mr. Rooker:
In appropriate cases, the Meat Hygiene Service abates the standard charge for hygiene inspections down to the level at which the actual costs of such inspections are recovered, subject to a maximum abatement of 55 per cent. in line with Directive 85/73/EEC (as amended).
Mr. Cox:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers in England and Wales have been declared bankrupt since 1 January. [64294]
Mr. Rooker:
Figures for bankruptcies in the agricultural sector are available for the first six months of 1998. These, together with the corresponding figures for 1997, are given in the table.
| (24)19982>(24)1997 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bankruptcies of Self-employed Individuals | 71 | 88 |
| Company Insolvencies (including partnerships) | 30 | 23 |
| Total | 101 | 111 |
(24) January-June
Source:
Department of Trade and Industry
Farm Subsidies
Mr. Jack: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the current arrangements for the payment in euros of CAP farm subsidies for those member states which are not adopting the single currency. [64634]
Mr. Rooker:
The Agriculture Council held in Brussels on 14 and 15 December 1998 reached agreement on agrimonetary arrangements following the introduction of the Single Currency on 1 January 1999. As my right hon. Friend indicated in his answer of 26 October 1998, these arrangements include improved general provisions for those Member States not joining the Single Currency on 1 January 1999 to make CAP payments in euros. There
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are no detailed provisions; each Member State's proposed payment scheme would be subject to the European Commission's agreement.
My right hon. Friend announced on 12 November 1998 his intention to make available an option for payments of market support measures, such as export refunds and intervention buying, in euros by autumn 2000. No other Member State outside the single currency has so far announced its intention to make this option available.
My officials are now in the process of working out the detailed provisions for a euro payment scheme, which we will then discuss with the Commission.
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what procedures are in place to ensure that EU inspectors visit the United Kingdom to complete the Date Based Export Scheme Agreement. [64495]
Mr. Rooker:
Commission Decision 98/692/EC on the Date-based Export Scheme (DBES) requires the European Commission to carry out an inspection of the UK's procedures for implementing the provisions of the Scheme and progress with the offspring cull. If they are satisfied they will then set a date from which exports under the Scheme can begin. The Decision requires us first to have slaughtered offspring of BSE cases confirmed before 25 November 1998 (the date of adoption of the Decision). We have laid before Parliament the necessary legislation for the offspring cull and aim to have fulfilled the Decision requirement by the end of March.
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in encouraging EU inspectors to visit rendering plants to inspect the production of tallow in accordance with the Florence Agreement of 1996. [64494]
Mr. Rooker:
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Ashford (Mr. Green) on 17 December 1998, Official Report, column 663.
Mr. Drew:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he was to improve traceability of dead stock, with particular reference to that (a) buried on farms, (b) sold to knackers' yards and (c) given to hunts. [64496]
Mr. Rooker:
There is no legal requirement for records to be kept of on-farm burial although the Water Code issued by the Department and the Welsh Office recommends that farmers should keep a field plan of the burial site and records of the dates of burial and the number and type of livestock buried.
Under the Animal By-Products Order 1992, as amended, anyone consigning fallen stock to a knacker's year or hunt kennel must keep a record of each consignment and ensure that identifying documentation accompanies it during transport. Knackers' yards and hunt kennels must also keep records of all incoming
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consignments of carcases or parts of carcases and the use to which they were put. There are no proposals to alter these requirements.
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