§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the dates of those meetings he has had with representatives of the United Kingdom potato industry since he became Minister, indicating which individuals and groups he met. [107240]
§ Mr. Nick Brown[holding answer 27 January 2000]: My right hon. Friend the Minister of State has responsibility for the potato industry. She met the Director General of the UK Potato Processors' Association on 13 January. Representative organisations and individual members of the potato industry are in frequent contact with officials and have a good working relationship with the Department.
§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken to promote the UK potato industry abroad. [107241]
§ Mr. Nick Brown[holding answer 27 January 2000]: The Department sponsors the British Potato Council (BPC) and works closely with it and producers to promote exports via trade fairs and other events both here and abroad. One of the core functions of the BPC is to promote the British potato industry abroad as exports offer a significant opportunity for market growth. Details of the BPC's activities and achievements since it came into being in July 1997 are set out in the Council's annual report.
§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the current level of(a) domestic production, (b) imports and (c) exports of (1) Adora, (2) Ailsa, (3) Ambo, (4) Anna, (5) Arran Banner, (6) Arran Comet, (7) Arran Pilot, (8) Atlantic, (9) Ausonia, (10) Avalanche, (11) Avondale, (12) Balmoral, (13) Barna, (14) Bimonda, (15) Bintje, (16) Brodick, (17) Brodie, (18) Buchan, (19) Cara, (20) Carlingford, (21) Charlotte, (22) Cultra, (23) Desiree, (24) Duke of York, (25) Epicure, (26) Erntestolz, (27) Estima, (28) Fianna, (29) Foremost, (30) Golden Wonder, (31) Hermes, (32) Home Guard, (33) Kennebec, (34) Kerr's Pink, (35) Kestrel, (36) King Edward, (37) Kingston, (38) Lady Rosetta, (39) Majestic, (40) Marfona, (41) Mariana, (42) Mans Bard, (43) Mans Peer, (44) Mans Piper, (45) Mondial, (46) Morene, (47) Nadine, (48) Navan, (49) Nicola, (50) Nieta, (51) Panda, (52) Penta, (53) Pentland Crown, (54) Pentland 756W Dell, (55) Pentland Hawk, (56) Pentland Javelin, (57) Pentland Squire, (58) Premiere, (59) Record, (60) Red Cara, (61) Red Pontiac, (62) Remarka, (63) Robinta, (64) Rocket, (65) Romano, (66) Rooster, (67) Sante, (68) Satuma, (69) Saxon, (70) Shepody, (71) Sierra, (72) Slaney, (73) Spunta, (74) Stroma, (75) Ulster Sceptre, (76) Valor, (77) Wilja, (78) Winston and (79) Yukon Gold potato varieties. [107242]
§ Mr. Nick Brown[holding answer 27 January 2000]: The latest potato statistics available for the United Kingdom are provisional figures for 1999 when the level of (a) domestic production was 7,100,000 tonnes; (b) imports (excluding processed and seed) were 256,000 tonnes and (c) exports (excluding processed and seed) were 175,000 tonnes. Statistics are not collected to the level of detail requested but the British Potato Council's publication "Potato Statistics in Great Britain 1993–97" gives planting figures for some of the varieties mentioned by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which representatives from his Ministry will attend the European Potato Industry Conference in Rome on 27 to 28 January. [107243]
§ Mr. Nick Brown[holding answer 27 January 2000]: There will be no representatives from my Ministry at the forthcoming European Potato Industry Conference.