§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the dates when China, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey and the USSR restricted imports of milk; if he will list the quantities of milk imported from the United Kingdom for the full year prior to the restriction being imposed; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerThe dates when the countries in question restricted imports of milk and milk products from the United Kingdom were:
Date China 1precise date unknown Egypt 1 July 1990 Jordan 229 July 1990 Syria 329 August 1990 Tunisia 20 January 1990 Turkey 25 May 1990 USSR 10 April 1990 1 Notification received 30 October 1990. 2 Notification received 3 September 1990. 3 Notification received 14 January 1991. The quantities of milk and milk products imported from the United Kingdom for the previous full year (1989) were, in tonnes:
Milk, cream and other milk products (other than butter or cheese) Butter and other fats and oils derived from milk Cheese and curd China 2,718 — — Egypt 1,334 175 141 Jordan 550 34 26 Syria — — — Tunisia — — — Turkey 118 2 39 USSR — 1 — We have been in frequent contact with all the countries which have imposed restrictions. Both the European Community and the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) have clearly stated that milk and milk products present no risk from BSE.
With the help of these bodies we shall continue to make every effort to have these unjustified restrictions lifted.