§ 18. Mr. Bullardasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware of the difficulty experienced by firms wishing, to create an export trade in food products to West Germany arising out of the German requirements as regards inspection; and whether he will provide facilities for a type of inspection that would meet the German regulations, if necessary at the expense of the firm concerned.
§ Mr. SoamesThe West German Government have recently made new meat inspection regulations which create difficulties for firms wishing to export meat and meat products from this country. We are about to discuss the matter with the West German Government with a view to seeing what arrangements would be necessary in order to comply with the regulations.
§ Mr. BullardWill my right hon. Friend do all he can to deal with this anomaly? We receive food produce from all over the world, yet, when a firm such as the one in my constituency wants to export, it comes up against these punitive Regulations. This firm, Campbell Soups, has received a letter from my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade urging it go in for exports. Will he do something to resolve this difficult position in which our food exporters are placed?
§ Mr. SoamesWe have been collecting all the necessary information in recent weeks and our representative in Bonn will approach the German Government before Christmas.