HC Deb 16 December 1974 vol 883 cc1118-9
41. Mr. Scott-Hopkins

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations from the Consumers Association he has received about the continuing sale of New York dressed poultry.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. Gavin Strang)

Representations have been received from several consumer interests. Most of them, but not the Consumers Association, have supported continuation of the New York dressed trade.

Mr. Scott-Hopkins

Do I understand that the hon. Gentleman is prepared to accept the date of 1982 for the abolition of New York dressed poultry? Is he aware that many of us were pressing for, and almost succeeded in getting, the exclusion of the United Kingdom from this harmonisation? Will he press the Council of Ministers that there should be optional and not total harmonisation?

Mr. Strang

The hon. Gentleman will be aware of the previous announcements which have been made with regard to 1982. He will also appreciate that there will still be some scope for this trade in sales directly from the farmer to the consumer after 1982.

Mr. Cormack

That answer is not good enough. Is it not time that the Government supported what my hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire, West (Mr. Scott-Hopkins) has said? It is intolerable that the British housewife should have only another five or six years in which she can buy New York dressed poultry, to which we are traditionally accustomed. Will the hon. Gentleman look at this matter again and do something positive?

Mr. Strang

I can understand the hon. Gentleman's attitude, but there is nothing that I can add now to what has been said.

Mr. Marten

Is not this purely an example of fussy interference by mandarins in Brussels? Do we need to have this legislation at all? Have we ever asked for it?

Mr. Strang

We have not asked for the legislation, but I think the hon. Gentleman will accept that there are some good things in this harmonisation and that there will be some raising of health standards by it. I take the point that it is regrettable that the trade in New York dressed poultry will have to decline after 1982.