§ Mr. ConwayTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the job losses in the British ox tongue processing industry as a result of the EC ban on the importation into the Community of North American supplies.
§ Mr. CurryThere is no ban on the importation into the Community of North American ox tongues as such. The import into the European Community of products derived from animals which have been treated with growth promoting hormones is, however, banned. Accurate figures on the number of jobs lost in the British ox tongue processing industry directly as a result of the ban on the use of growth promoting hormones are not available. However, since the ban was introduced, the canning industry has reported a reduction of 280 jobs.
§ Mr. ConwayTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has made to the European Commission on the import of raw beef tongues from North America into the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. CurryWe strongly opposed the ban on growth promoting hormones throughout the Community when it was introduced in 1989. This included writing directly to the European Agriculture Commissioner on the impact that the ban would have on canners of tongues in the United Kingdom.