§ Mr. John TownendTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will seek a derogation under the new European Economic Community poultry health regulations to allow the continued processing and marketing of New York dressed poultry;
800W(2) what information he has about derogations under European Economic Community poultry health regulations for the continued use of the effilé, roped, method of dressing poultry in Italy and France.
§ Mr. GummerThe EC Commission's proposals to the Council for a new regulation on poultrymeat hygiene make provision for member states to continue to authorise the marketing of partially eviscerated (effilé) poultry. At our insistence, the Commission has suggested, although only tentatively, that this authority should extend to the marketing of uneviscerated (New York dressed) birds.
There are no grounds for discriminating between the two forms of production and we shall resist firmly any attempt to prevent us authorising the marketing of uneviscerated birds under conditions consistent with public safety.