HC Deb 24 February 1994 vol 238 cc417-8
3. Mr. Ottaway

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps she is taking to promote British food.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

The British food industry is one of this country's major successes. We are doing everything that we can to assist and enhance that success.

Mr. Ottaway

I thank my right hon. Friend for that reply, which will be warmly welcomed in Croydon. Will she please confirm the contribution that is made to British exports by the British food industry and give a warm welcome to the work that is done in that respect by the organisation Food From Britain?

Mrs. Shephard

It is a pleasure to pay tribute to the work of Food From Britain, which is now focusing on what it does best—the promotion of exports. Last month, I launched Continental Challenge, which was a conference—well-attended—for continental retailers and our producers. The follow-up work from that conference will be taken forward by Food From Britain with regional events, some of which may be in Croydon, and other work directly with producers. Our food industry is already doing well in exporting. For example, exports of lamb have increased by 76 per cent. over the past three years. We are now the second largest manufacturer in Europe of mozzarella cheese and are poised to export that also. There are many other successes of which to speak.

Mr. Hardy

What action will the Minister take to safeguard and promote the interests of Britain's pig producers, who face deep anxiety?

Mrs. Shephard

I agree with the hon. Gentleman's latter point. The pig industry is going through a difficult time. We know that it is a cyclical industry, but the present trough—if I may put it that way—is pretty deep and difficult. The problem is oversupply, largely from the EC. What we are doing principally is ensuring that if any other EC state is providing illegal state aid to its pig industries, it will be pursued by the Commission.

Mr. Lord

I am sure that my right hon. Friend will acknowledge the enormous part that is played by the British apple in the British food industry. I am sure that she will be aware also of the difficult conditions that the British apple industry now faces. If she has not already done so, I urge her to see a delegation from the apple producers of this country as quickly as possible to listen to all their problems, and to their solutions, which in many ways seem sensible.

Mrs. Shephard

My hon. Friend will be pleased to hear that both I and my hon. Friend the Minister of State have met representatives of the apple industry, although we are always happy to receive more delegations. We are well aware of the difficulties that the industry has been facing because of low prices over the past two seasons. We need a reformed fruit and vegetable regime from the EC, for which we are pressing at the moment. We also need each and every person in Britain to eat just one more Cox's apple every week—it should not be a hardship—a practice which I can commend to the House.

Mr. Tyler

Can I press the Minister a bit further on the crisis facing the pig sector? The production and marketing of pork is extremely important, as I am sure that she will acknowledge. The problem is not only state subsidies in other member states but subsidised marketing and assistance with all forms of support in other states. I ask her to address her mind particularly to the differences between the animal welfare standards that we seek to achieve in this country, which are on a different time scale from those that are being sought in other member states.

Mrs. Shephard

Certainly. We must concentrate on state aids that can be proved to be illegal. That is the point. We have in our sights at the moment a particular state aid, helpfully announced by the French Government by press release last September. There can be little doubt about their intention. If the French Government are found to be state-aiding their pig industry illegally, they will be contributing directly to the difficulties of our producers. That must be stopped. I raised that question again with Commissioner Steichen this week. Work on that is proceeding. On animal welfare, the hon. Gentleman is right that our producers do not have a level playing field. I make no apology for that. I am glad that this country has a strong and well-developed animal welfare lobby. We must live with that concern, which is so strongly felt by British people. I believe also that humanely produced products can be more popular on the market.

Mr. Marland

Is my right hon. Friend aware of the concern in the dairy industry about our lack of self-sufficiency in milk and about the threat of quota cuts? That concern is now being compounded by anxiety over milk marketing; that, in turn, gives rise to the fear that such action will lessen the supply of milk in the United Kingdom, increase prices and possibly lead to milk processors investing in plant abroad rather than in this country. That would reduce opportunities to produce British food and add value to it in this country, which would obviously have a detrimental effect on the whole agriculture industry.

Mrs. Shephard

I hope that my hon. Friend will agree that the deregulation of the milk market is actually an incentive for processors to set up in this country. However, I regret the current delay in the setting up of Milk Marque as much as he does. It is a matter of great concern to both producers and processors and, of course, to 50 million consumers.