§ 8. Mr. Graham Allen (Nottingham, North) (Lab)How many animals were slaughtered in the UK to provide food in the last year for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement. [180211]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr. Ben Bradshaw)Mr. Speaker, 27 million cattle, sheep and pigs, and 877 million poultry were slaughtered in 2003.
§ Mr. AllenI thank the Minister for that reply. Wearing his environment hat rather than his agriculture hat, he will know that it takes 10 tonnes of corn to make 1 tonne of beef. Does my hon. Friend feel that the level of meat eating—in this country and, indeed, globally—is sustainable in the long term? What research is his Department undertaking to ensure that we sustain our environment both nationally and globally?
§ Mr. BradshawI think that my hon. Friend is right to say that it is possible to feed more people on grain than it is on meat, but I would point out that the biggest increase in meat consumption has been taking place in the developing world, particularly in those countries that enjoy the highest economic growth in south-east 1446 Asia. The evidence from European meat consumption, which is pretty stable, suggests that it gets to a level at which it does not increase any more, while at the same time productivity increases at a faster rate. I am not quite sure that my hon. Friend's argument completely holds water.
§ Mr. Edward Garnier (Harborough) (Con)The Minister will know that my Harborough constituency is a beef-producing constituency that is dependent, agriculturally, on that sector of the industry. Will he let me know when the Government will ensure that the over-30 month scheme is removed so that we can develop the sector better and export meat to the developing countries that the Minister mentioned?
§ Mr. BradshawWe are as keen as the hon. Gentleman to get the OTMS system lifted and our beef exports resumed. I am sure that he will welcome the fact that the beef sector has recovered since foot and mouth, and that beef prices are now increasing quite usefully. We are working hard in discussions with the Food Standards Agency and our colleagues in the Department of Health to make progress on both OTMS and the export scheme.
§ Alistair Burt (North-East Bedfordshire) (Con)At the East of England show last week, I was repeatedly asked by farmers and consumers alike why our food labelling still fails to distinguish adequately between meat produced from animals grown, raised and slaughtered in this country and that from elsewhere. Is the Minister satisfied that nothing further can be done with food labelling?
§ Mr. BradshawAs the hon. Gentleman will be aware, food labelling is now a matter for the Food Standards Agency. We are as keen as he is on having accurate consumer advice when it comes to labelling and country sourcing. Most of the meat that he would buy in supermarkets or from his local butcher would be labelled if it were produced in this country. We want to improve that, but it is a matter for the Food Standards Agency.