HL Deb 16 January 1989 vol 503 cc92-3WA
Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have been informed of the joint study initiated by the Danish Ministries of the Environment and Agriculture into organic and bio-organic agriculture; and whether they will study its conclusions, in particular concerning EC policy, water pollution, soil erosion and animal and human health.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministery of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Trumpington)

Yes. The report to which the noble Lord refers would appear to be that made in December 1986 by a group comprising representatives of the Danish Ministers of Agriculture and the Environment and of organic farmers. This led to the adoption of the present legal framework under which organic farming in Denmark operates and included the establishment of a Council for Organic Farming to provide advice on the topics mentioned in the noble Lord's Question.

In this country a broadly similar function is performed by the United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards (UK ROFS) which, together with other bodies, is able to provide the Government with advice appropriate to United Kingdom conditions. UKROFS has already provided advice to the Government on the development of EC policies on organic production.