§ Dr. John Dunwoodyasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that inferior meat pies are masquerading as Cornish pasties; and if he will amend his regulations to prevent this.
§ Mr. John MackieNo. General protection is given to purchasers by Sections 2 and 6 of the Food and Drugs Act, 1955, which are enforced by local food and drugs authorities and which make it an offence to sell food which is not of the nature, substance or quality demanded or to describe the food falsely or in a manner calculated to mislead the purchaser as to its nature, substance or quality. My proposals for regulations, which were issued in May, 1965, would require a meat content of 25 per cent. for a meat pie and of 12½ per cent. for a meat and vegetable pie. A meat and vegetable pie could be described as a Cornish pasty, where appropriate: that is where it had at least 12½ per cent. meat content and displayed the essential characteristics of a Cornish pasty. This is in accordance with the recommendations of the Food Standards Committee.
176WIt is hoped that the regulations will be made in the near future.