§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the outcome of the informal Agriculture Council meeting in Spain on 16 May on food quality.
§ Mr. Ryder[holding answer 22 May 1989]: Time permitted only brief and very gneral discussion at this meeting. It focussed mainly on the Commission's suggestion, in its document "The Future of Rural Society", that Community law might provide for certain food designations to be reserved for foods of a particular composition or produced by specified methods or originating in a specific geographical area.
A wide range of views was expressed. Some believed that such measures would improve food quality, discourage "substitute" products, and help raise farmers' incomes. Others, like me, felt that consumer choice and freedom of trade could best be maximised by allowing producers to respond freely to demand, while ensuring that consumers where fully informed about the nature of the goods offered to them. The Council is likely to return to the subject on a future occasion.