HC Deb 11 February 1985 vol 73 cc65-6W
Mr. Pawsey

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will detail those regulations covering the sale of goats' milk together with the dates that they took effect; and if he has any intention to relax those regulations.

Mr. Jopling

There are no specific regulations governing the production and sale of goats' milk. However, goats' milk is subject to the general provisions of the Food Act 1984 which, among other requirements, specifies that all food (including drink) should be of the nature, substance and quality demanded by the purchaser, that it should not be labelled in a false or misleading way, and that it should be fit for human consumption.

Mr. Pawsey

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the amount of goats' milk produced each year for the last 10 years.

Mr. Jopling

No figures on the production of goats' milk are collected by my Department. However, it is estimated that milk production by goats on agricultural holdings in the United Kingdom amounted to about 19 million litres in 1983 having nearly doubled from about 11 million litres in 1975, the only other recent year for which a corresponding estimate is available.

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