Food and Drink Industry

HC Deb 28 March 1996 vol 274 cc1151-3

2. Mr. Alexander

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to develop export opportunities for the United Kingdom's food and drink industry. [21602]

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mrs. Angela Browning)

During the past year, and with the Government's financial support, Food From Britain has opened new representative offices in Japan and Denmark. FFB's corporate strategy for the next three years involves expanding the coverage of its existing offices and extending its services into central Europe and the middle east.

Mr. Alexander

I am grateful for that reply but, as the export of beef is one of the most important components of the food and drink industry, is it not urgent that an emergency package of relief for farmers and the industry should be announced very soon to avoid widespread bankruptcy and unemployment? In that connection, will my hon. Friend, and my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister, encourage British banks to be as supportive as they can of the farming industry until this crisis is sorted out?

Mrs. Browning

We are all aware of the grave difficulties in all sectors of the industry, from the farm right through the food processing chain. I refer my hon. Friend to the comments a few moments ago of my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister. I hope that my hon. Friend will attend tonight's debate.

Mr. Cousins

Does the Minister accept that one of the things that could transform beef export prospects is an effective and accurate live test of cattle? Will she therefore reconsider the prospects of Dr. Narang of Newcastle, my constituent, who was personally refused a research grant by the Secretary of State as recently as 21 February? Does she agree that this is not the moment to turn down any avenue of research advance that could transform the prospects of our farmers and their exports?

Mrs. Browning

I confirm that the hon. Gentleman's constituent, Dr. Narang, has been invited to give his information to SEAC for consideration, but I must point out that Dr. Narang has refused to have published in the necessary scientific journals for scientific scrutiny the research that he has done to date. When invited by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to make that information available to us, he has refused to do so.

Mr. Marlow

Will my hon. Friend make it clear that the biggest problem that has been imposed on British beef and the food industry has been imposed illegally by the European Commission, which has decided to ban British beef? It is allowed to make a decision on the basis of there being a severe hazard to health. There is no severe hazard to health and it accepts that. Its decision was made politically, has devastated British industry and British agriculture and is now devastating European agriculture. The only way to put this right is not to receive the European Commission's generosity, but to have legal compensation from the Europeans.

Mrs. Browning

My hon. Friend identifies very clearly what has happened. The scientists who advise the Commission have had all the science put in front of them, but their decision making and determination has not been based on that scientific evidence. As my hon. Friend says, that has had a dreadful effect on the British beef industry which is now spreading to the Europewide meat industry in general. I have heard what my hon. Friend has said and there is much sympathy with the points he made.

Mr. Tyler

May 1 place on record that we Liberal Democrats believe that this is not the appropriate time for recriminations such as we have heard? Does the hon. Lady agree that the first step towards re-establishing our export position in Europe should be taken here at home? Germans will not buy British beef, regardless of any ban, if public confidence remains at such a low ebb in the United Kingdom. Has she and the Minister had time to look at the package of proposals that we put to them last night, which we hope will make a positive contribution to what is undoubtedly a very difficult situation that requires consensus across the House if we are to solve it?

Mrs. Browning

We have received many packages of proposals from various organisations—the NFU, the food industry and other political parties, including the Liberal Democrats. I welcome the hon. Gentleman's initial comment. Making the issue party political will only damage British farmers, the British food industry, other industries and British jobs, for which those who have turned it into a party political scare must take personal responsibility. I assure the hon. Gentleman that we welcome his statement. We shall study all options and bring them forward as quickly as possible.

Sir John Cope

Will my hon. Friend do her best to make it clear as widely as possible that farmers have confidence in British beef because they have seen the number of BSE cases come down in recent years and therefore trust what the vets and doctors say?

Mrs. Browning

The farming community understands only too well why policy has always been—and will continue to be—based on scientific evidence available at the time. We are all aware, however, that, beyond the science, there is a need for market support. I can assure my right hon. Friend, and the farming community that he represents, that we shall take every step necessary to restore confidence as quickly as possible.

Mrs. Golding

Is the Minister really aware of the extent of the damage to our export opportunities that has been caused by the Government's failure to act swiftly and ruthlessly on BSE? Will she assure the House that that catalogue of delay will never be allowed to happen again?

Mrs. Browning

The hon. Lady should study the facts. We received SEAC's scientific advice concerning the 10 CJD cases, and the necessary steps that it recommended, at midday last Wednesday. By 3.30 pm that day, the information was being conveyed to hon. Members. One cannot act any faster than that.

Subsequently, of course, the scientists in Europe have taken their disgraceful decision and made recommendations that, as I have already said, were based not on science but on other issues. It is therefore necessary, now that that has happened, to try to remove the temporary ban on the export of British beef. We feel sure that that will be the first step towards restoring public confidence, which, as the hon. Member for North Cornwall (Mr. Tyler) said, begins at home.

I sincerely hope that, as an Opposition agriculture spokesman, the hon. Lady will add her voice to those of some of her hon. Friends who recognise the danger in following the attitude of other Opposition Front-Bench spokesmen in building up the scare and turning the matter into a party political brickbat competition. Too many jobs are at stake to play party politics with the industry.

Mr. Budgen

When my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister said a few moments ago that the ban on exporting beef was not based on scientific evidence and was wrong, did he mean that the ban was illegal? If it is illegal, what action does he intend to take about it in the European Community?

Mrs. Browning

The ban is not illegal in terms of the law as it stands in the European Community. My point was that, whereas in this country we make decisions based on science—one could reasonably have expected scientists in Europe to follow the same principle—other countries in the European Community have singularly failed to do so.