HC Deb 28 February 1990 vol 168 c237W
Mr. Matthew Taylor

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will outlaw the addition of colouring matter to chicken feed designed to brighten the colour of the egg yolk.

Mr. Maclean

Regulation of these colouring matters is a matter for agreement within the EC. The continued use of one of the principal colourants is currently being examined by expert committees both in the EC and also in this country.

Imports of bananas into the European Community 1984–88
1984 1985 1986 1987 1988
Total 2,289,843 2,396,683 2,635,305 2,608,659 2,933,007
of which
Community Producers
tonnes 712,002 697,897 860,494 681,554 690,572
per cent. 31 29 32 26 23
ACP Producers
tonnes 335,997 413,395 445,065 456,623 513,707
per cent. 15 17 17 18 18
Dollar Producers
tonnes 1,204,265 1,253,589 1,255,897 1,366,017 1,642,595
per cent. 52 53 48 52 56
Other
tonnes 37,579 31,802 73,849 104,465 86,133
per cent. 2 1 3 4 3

Source: Eurostat.

Note:—Eurostat data does not include imports from the Canary Islands for 1984 and 1985 and for imports from Madeira throughout the period Estimates of such imports from FAO data have been added to the Eurostat data to give comparable coverage. In the breakdown such imports. are included under Community Producers.