§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what checks are made on the meat content of meat products; and what is the number of cases of inaccurate labelling of meat content in each of the last two years.
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§ Mr. RyderWhere there is a statutory requirement regarding the meat content of a meat product or where such information is declared on the label, the enforcement of the relevant food law is undertaken by local authorities who are food and drugs authorities. Information on infringements of these laws is not held centrally.
§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what standards exist to specify and require the contents of meat products including beefburgers, sausages, salami, saveloys, haslet, and white pudding; what measures are taken to enforce those standards; and what information he has as to standards for meat products in other countries of the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. RyderThe Meat Products and Spreadable Fish, Products Regulations 1984 require most meat products to bear a declaration of their minimum meat content on the label. In addition, they contain minimum meat content requirements for a number of products, including burgers and sausages. White pudding is not regarded as a meal: product for the purposes of the regulations but, in common with all foodstuffs, is subject to the general provisions of the Food Labelling Regulations 1984 and the Food Act 1984. Enforcement of this food law is carried out by those local authorities which are food and drugs authorities.
My Department does not keep detailed information on standards for meat products in other member states of the European Community.