§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those measures he has enacted in each of the last three years to improve the quality and wholesomeness of(a) home produced and (b) imported food.
§ Mr. RyderOne of the major objectives of my Department is to maintain the quality and wholesomeness of the food supply and this is taken into account in all measures which we enact most of which apply to imported as well as home-produced food. In 1986, 20 measures were enacted including The Milk and Dairies (Heat Treatment of Cream) (Amendment) Regulations 1986, The Milk-Based Drinks (Hygiene and Heat Treatment) (Amendment) Regulations 1986 and The Horticultural Produce Act. In 1987, 15 measues were enacted including The Coffee and Coffee Products (Amendment) Regulations 1987, The Colouring Matter in Food (Amendment) Regulations 1987, The Materials and Articles in Contact with Food Regulations 1987. In 1988, 14 measures were enacted including The Animals and Fresh Meat (Examination for Residues) Regulations 1988, The Animals and Fresh Meat (Hormonal Substances) Regulations 1988, The Pesticides (Maximum Residue Levels in Food) Regulations, The Importation of Milk Regulations 1988, The Sweeteners in Food (Amendment) Regulations 1988, The Milk (Special Designation) Regulations 1988, The Milk and Dairies (Semi-skimmed and Skimmed Milk) (Heat Treatment and Labelling) Regulations 1988.
Proposals have been issued for consultation on the following draft regulations:— 711W
- Tetrachloroethylene in Olive Oil Regulations
- Caseins and Caseinates (Amendment) Regulations
- Preserved Milk (Amendment) Regulations
- Soft Drinks Regulations
- Fish Product Regulations
- Fat Spread Products Regulations
- Amendments to Food Labelling Regulations to introduce alcoholic strength marking and restrictions on the use of the term "low alcohol"
- Regulations to ban the use of mineral hydrocarbons in food and food processing
- Preservatives in Food Regulations
In addition I am considering proposals to limit the quantities of colouring matter in food; a number of important reviews, affecting the quality and wholesomeness of our food, are currently being undertaken by the Food Advisory Committee and, as part of the single market programme, nine Community directives were adopted, or a common position agreed, last year and these will all be implemented into United Kingdom legislation. They cover jams, fruit juices, quick-frozen food, additives, labelling, materials and articles in contact with food, foods for particular nutritional uses, batch marking and the official inspection of foodstuffs.