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AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Food Industry (Marketing)
15. Mr. Olner: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures his Department is taking to improve marketing in the food industry. [67810]
Mr. Nick Brown: We pursue a range of activities to help the agri-food industry improve competitive performance, including marketing. We also work with industry initiatives in this area.
Battery Hens
16. Ms Ryan: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he has taken to improve the welfare of battery hens. [67811]
Mr. Morley: We are continuing to work with our EU partners to develop improved welfare standards for laying hens in battery cages and to set, for the first time, Community wide standards for non-cage systems. We have made it clear in these negotiations that our long term aim is to phase out cages altogether.
Genetically Modified Foods
17. Mr. Colman: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with the food industry in relation to genetically modified foods. [67812]
Mr. Rooker: The issue of genetically modified foods has featured on the agenda of various on-going meetings which I have had with the food industry.
Meat Hygiene Inspectors
18. Mr. Greenway: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about contingency plans in the event of a strike by meat hygiene inspectors. [67813]
Mr. Rooker: Contingency Plans were drawn up to minimise the effect of industrial action by some Meat Hygiene Service staff. Food safety, public health and animal welfare were fully protected.
The MHS strictly enforced meat hygiene, specified risk material and animal welfare Regulations in all licensed plants whether or not they were able to operate on the day of strike action. The Contingency Plans were successful in achieving their objectives for the GB meat industry as a whole.
24. Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has for studies of the work of meat inspectors. [67820]
Mr. Rooker:
There are no proposals for studies of the work of meat inspectors with respect to the relationship between the inspectors and plant operators.
The Meat Hygiene Service is an enforcement Agency carrying out a difficult but crucial job of protecting public health and animal welfare occasionally in a hostile environment. The MHS seeks to work in co-operation with plant management rather than confrontation. A balance must be struck between effective enforcement and unnecessary over-regulation and I believe that the MHS is getting it right.
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19. Mr. Chope:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about food safety standards for imports from outside the EU. [67814]
Mr. Nick Brown:
Protecting the public by ensuring that food is produced to high standards of safety is a priority for the Government. Imports from outside the EU are required to have been produced to the same, or equivalent, standards as domestic produce.
20. Mr. Burns:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the cost to British farmers of compliance with food and animal welfare standards. [67815]
Mr. Morley:
The cost of compliance with statutory food and animal welfare standards is considered as part of the full regulatory impact assessment we now provide on any proposed changes to legislation. It is, of course, also necessary to consider the cost and other implications of non-compliance in these important areas.
21. Mr. Pike:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps his Department has taken to persuade local authorities in England not to place an arbitrary restriction on the purchase of British beef and beef products. [67816]
Mr. Rooker:
The Ministry is not well placed nor resourced to lobby local authorities, which are obliged to look for best value for money in their procurement decisions. However, we continue to support the work of the Meat and Livestock Commission in its efforts to re-instate beef on school menus.
22. Mr. Sheerman:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to encourage innovation and diversification in the small farm sector. [67818]
Mr. Morley:
Funding is available to the small farm sector to encourage a wide range of agricultural activities, including innovation and farm diversification, in the six areas designated to receive assistance under the English Objective 5b Structural Fund Programmes. No grant aid for farm diversification is currently available outside these areas but MAFF is consulting on options in the Agenda 2000 CAP reform rural development proposals. MAFF is working with the NFU to encourage collaboration among farmers. It is also organising seminars on farmers' markets and the speciality food sector.
23. Jackie Ballard:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the current incomes of hill farmers in the United Kingdom. [67819]
Mr. Morley:
The 1998 Autumn Review of Economic Conditions in the Hills and Uplands showed that, in the UK as a whole, net farm income on full-time cattle and sheep farms in the Less Favoured Areas was forecast to
4 Feb 1999 : Column: 769
fall by 67 per cent. in 1998/99. The statistical tables containing this, and other data, were laid before the House on 26 November 1998. This forecast did not include the payments to hill livestock farmers in the £120 million aid package announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 16 November 1998, Official Report, columns 624-40.
On 28 January 1999, my Department published provisional estimates of UK farm incomes and output in 1998. These estimates, which include the extra payments under the aid package, forecast a fall of 38 per cent. in net farm incomes on cattle and sheep farms in the Less Favoured Areas in 1998-99.
25. Mr. Andy King:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to press for reform of the common agricultural policy; and if he will make a statement. [67821]
Mr. Morley:
We are continuing to press for comprehensive reform of the Common Agricultural Policy at meetings of the EU Agriculture Council in Brussels, with a view to bringing productions closer to the market.
We are seeking the gradual reduction and eventual phasing out of price and production-related agricultural support. We are also pushing for part of the savings from such a reduction in production support to be directed to measures which will protect and enhance the environment and help the rural economy adjust, particularly in more fragile rural areas.
28. Mr. Robathan:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received regarding reform of environmental measures under the CAP. [67824]
Mr. Morley:
Representations on CAP reform, including reform of environmental measures, were most recently sought as part of a consultation process launched on 5 January. Responses have yet to be received or fully assessed.
26. Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about his Department's powers to ban importation of foodstuffs whose production standards are illegal in this country. [67822]
Mr. Rooker:
Member States have powers to take protective measures under various pieces of EU legislation where there is a risk to public health.
27. Mr. Jenkins:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken to promote sustainable rural development. [67823]
Mr. Morley:
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister to my hon. Friend the Member for City of Chester (Ms Russell) on 17 December 1998, Official Report, column 1083.
4 Feb 1999 : Column: 770
29. Mr. Martlew:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps are being taken to dispose of meat and bone meal; and if he will make a statement. [67825]
Mr. Rooker:
The Intervention Board has awarded the first large scale contract for incineration with energy recovery of meat and bone-meal (MBM) derived from the OTMS and is considering proposals from other potential service providers. The majority of MBM from animals slaughtered for human consumption is being safely landfilled in appropriately licensed sites.
Mr. Nicholls:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what proposals he has to ensure that a pesticide tax does not disadvantage British growers relative to their European competitors; [68237]
(2) what study he has made of the relative advantages of a pesticides tax as opposed to other measures adopted by other EU states to reduce pesticide usage. [68229]
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