HC Deb 01 February 1996 vol 270 cc1108-9
4. Mr. Alexander

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he is making in controlling the problem of potato brown rot. [11268]

The Minister for Rural Affairs (Mr. Tim Boswell)

Following last year's outbreaks in the Netherlands, the European Community adopted a series of controls, which the Government have supplemented with further measures to provide safeguards for our industry against spread of this disease.

Mr. Alexander

Is it not the case that, although we must not overreact about the disease because it appeared in the Netherlands recently, nevertheless a recent consignment of potato seed from Holland cleared the Dutch authorities and was found, when it entered this country, to contain brown rot? Is my hon. Friend satisfied with the controls in Holland? Do they comply fully with European Union requirements?

Mr. Boswell

I thank my hon. Friend for those questions and comments. One consignment of Dutch seed potatoes into the United Kingdom was found to have evidence of brown rot—although the diagnosis has not yet been confirmed—and that raises the question of the validity of the Dutch tests. I can tell my hon. Friend that although the Dutch tests vary slightly from ours, they are very much in line with the requirements of the European Union. The only difference is that we impose as a further safeguard an additional set of tests, which very much reduces the risk of the disease reaching this country.

Mr. John D. Taylor

As the Minister made it clear in his initial reply that he has powers to supplement the restrictions recommended by the European Community, why does not he place a temporary ban on the importation of seed potatoes from the Netherlands?

Mr. Boswell

What was clear from our earlier exchanges is that we do indeed have powers to supplement, but they must be properly proportionate to the risk. We have considered this carefully and notified the European Commission of the action that we are taking. We have received wide support in the industry for the proportionate action that we are taking and are satisfied that it is appropriate to the risk as we perceive it today. We shall continue to monitor the position, and if there is a need for further action, we would, of course, be prepared to take it.