HC Deb 17 February 1997 vol 290 cc427-8W
Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to encourage the manufacture of cheese by farmers who process milk from their own herds or flocks into milk products. [14991]

Mr. Baldry

The decision by farmers whether to process milk from their own herds or flocks into milk products is a commercial one. However, by deregulating the milk market, the Government have encouraged conditions for competition and initiative to flourish.

Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek a modification of the existing milk quota system to encourage the production of specialist and traditional dairy products by means of a producer-processor's milk quota allowance for small producers to allow the first tranche of milk quota to be used at double its face value. [14992]

Mr. Baldry

Substantive discussions on the future of the milk quota regime are due to begin later this year in Brussels. The Government have already signalled their preferred approach. We wish to free the whole of the dairy industry, including specialist and traditional producers, from the restrictions of the quota system. This would be achieved through a combination of progressive price cuts and relaxation of production controls. We do not believe that the introduction of a producer-processor allowance for small producers is a negotiable way forward. It would add to the complexity of administering and enforcing the quota system and increase the costs of the dairy regime.

Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assistance he proposes for producer-processors and specialist dairy products to mitigate the compliance costs of the milk and food hygiene directives. [14993]

Mr. Baldry

The compliance cost assessment for the Diary Products (Hygiene) Regulations 1995 was placed in the Libraries of the House on 28 April 1995. It indicated that small businesses would incur minimal extra costs resulting from implementation of the milk hygiene directive. The Compliance Cost Assessment for the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995, placed in the Library of the House on 12 July 1995, estimated that the only identifiable cost for businesses arising from implementation of the food hygiene directive related to the new requirement to train and/or instruct food handlers. In the circumstances I have no plans for assistance.