§ 21. Mr. CorbettTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the timetable is for consultation on financing the proposed Food Standards Agency. [63005]
§ Mr. Nick BrownThe Government remain committed to setting up the Food Standards Agency following the proposals outlined in the White Paper, The Food Standards Agency: A Force for Change (CM 3830). Should additional Parliamentary time become available, we hope to make progress on the necessary legislation in the present Session. In the meantime, following discussion with colleagues today, I can announce that we shall publish the Food Standards Bill in draft for public consultation in January 1999. The draft Bill will be available for pre-legislative scrutiny by this House. At the same time, we intend to publish a document for consultation on the Government's proposals for financing the Agency.
§ Mr. CorbettTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) when he expects to publish the draft Bill to establish a food standards agency; and what period will be provided for pre-legislative scrutiny of it; [63548]
(2) what form the pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Bill to establish a food standards agency will take. [63547]
§ Mr. Nick Brown[holding answer 14 December 1998]: The Government remain committed to setting up the Food Standards Agency following the proposals outlined in the White Paper, The Food Standards Agency: A Force for Change (CM 3830). Should additional Parliamentary time 660W become available, we hope to make progress on the necessary legislation in the present Session. In the meantime, following discussion with colleagues today, I can announce that we shall publish the Food Standards Bill in draft for public consultation in January 1999. The draft Bill will be available for pre-legislative scrutiny by this House. At the same time, we intend to publish a document for consultation on the Government's proposals for financing the Agency.