HC Deb 08 July 1996 vol 281 cc89-90W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce legislation to require fast food and other eating establishments to restore British beef to their menus clearly labelled as such. [24881]

Mrs. Browning

No, the Government do not have the legal powers to introduce legislation requiring retail or catering establishments to sell British beef, as this would be a restrictive trade practice. The Government, in consultation with the beef industry and the Meat and Livestock Commission, continue however to do all that they can to persuade such establishments to restore British beef to their menus.

Mr. Cohen

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans his Department has for disposal of the beef intervention stock held in the United Kingdom. [24418]

Mr. Baldry

The Commission is expected to adopt a regulation which requires United Kingdom intervention stocks purchased prior to this year, that is between 1991 and 1993, to be destroyed. Beef purchased into intervention since March this year will be stored until such time as the Commission, in consultation with the Beef Management committee, deems it appropriate to place it back on the market.

Mr. Redmond

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what amount of the beef which was placed in intervention stores in each of the last five years currently remains in intervention; what steps he has taken to ensure that it complies with current requirements in respect of bovine spongiform encephalopathy; and what are the equivalent beef intervention stocks in other EU member states; [30049]

(2) how much beef was held in intervention stores for each EU member state in each of the last five years. [30050]

Mrs. Browning

The levels of intervention stocks for each member state at the end of each calendar year for 1991–1995 were as set out: