HC Deb 03 November 1989 vol 159 cc392-3W
Mr. Meale

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state any current restriction placed by any member state of the European Economic Communities, or any Community authority, on the import into any Community member other than the United Kingdom of meat or meat products currently permitted for sale in the United Kingdom together with the related reasons, and showing what categories of slaughterhouses, or food processing plants, are unacceptable to any of the authorities concerned; and what action he is taking to make such exports possible.

Mr. Currry

West Germany has recently announced that it requires additional certification for beef from the United Kingdom and that it will not accept bovine slaughter by-products for human consumption. We consider these restrictions unjustified on public health grounds and are pursuing the matter with the authorities of the Federal Republic as a matter of urgency.

Slaughterhouse and processing plants in any member state which wish to engage in intra-community trade must be approved as meeting the requirements of directives 64/433 (red meat), 71/118 (poultrymeat) and 77/99 (meat products). Plants operating only under the national rules of member states are not permitted to export. We shall be discussing with the EC Commission and other member states the rules which are to apply to all meat plants on completion of the internal market.

Mr. Ron Davies

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what restrictions have been placed by Britain's trading partners on the importation of British meat and bone meal of ruminant derivation.

Mr. Curry

France, West Germany and Israel have set conditions for the import of British meat and bone meal. France requires that British meat and bone meal should not be fed to ruminants. West Germany seeks to require certification that the material is not derived from cattle confirmed or suspected of having BSE. Such cattle in the United Kingdom would in any case be compulsorily slaughtered and their carcases destroyed. Exports to Israel are restricted to meat and bone meal derived from poultry.