§ Mr. GreenTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to make an announcement on the lifting of the export ban on beef derivatives with particular reference to tallow and gelatine. [63344]
§ Mr. RookerExports of tallow derived from bovine animals slaughtered in the UK for use in human food, animal feed, cosmetics and medical and pharmaceutical products may recommence when the European Commission has inspected the implementation in the UK of the controls laid down in Council Decision 98/256/EC and set a date for this, after consulting the Standing Veterinary Committee. We have invited the Commission to carry out the required inspection and hope they will do so soon.
There is at present no proposal from the European Commission to lift the prohibition on exports of gelatin derived from bovine animals slaughtered in the UK for use in human food, animal feed, cosmetics and medical and pharmaceutical products. But all UK producers are approved to export gelatin made from imported bovine raw materials for such uses.
Gelatin, tallow and other byproducts derived from bovine animals slaughtered in the UK can already be exported for uses other than in human food, animal feed, cosmetics and medical and pharmaceutical products.