§ Lord Harris of Greenwichasked Her Majesty's Government:
When the United States, Hong Kong and Australia imposed any form of restriction on the importation of British beef and on what dates representations were last made to these countries concerning their policies.
59WA
Lord LucasThe United Kingdom had not received formal notification of restrictions on the importation of British beef from any of these countries prior to the export ban imposed by Commission Decision 96/239 on 27th March 1996. The United States of America, however, has not accepted imports of British bone-in beef since 1989. After 1989, negotiations concentrated on securing access to United States markets for boneless beef, and these were successfully concluded in July 1994 when an export health certificate was raised to accompany exports of boneless bovine meat and meat products to the United States of America. A copy of this export health certificate is enclosed and a copy has been placed in the Library. From August 1994 to March 1996 inclusive, some 6 tonnes of boneless beef and beef products, with a value of around £108,000, were exported to the United States of America as recorded in the Overseas and Trade Statistics. These data are provisional.
Negotiations continue on securing wider access to United States markets, although in regular discussions with representatives of industry the USA has not been identified as a priority market for the export of beef.
Hong Kong introduced an import ban on 28th March, the day after Commission Decision 96/239. The Hong Kong authorities have made it clear that the decision had been taken in the light of the Commission decision and specifically to restore confidence in the beef market in Hong Kong.
While Australia had not formally notified import restrictions on British beef before Commission decision 96/239, it only imported beef in the form of canned cooked meats and bovine meat in hermetically sealed containers. When an exporter finds a potential market he will obtain export health requirements from the country in question. These requirements are forwarded to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which raises the necessary export health certificate, provided that the requirements are reasonable, negotiating with the authorities in the importing country as required. The ministry therefore only becomes aware of import restrictions when a potential new market (product or country) is being explored. It has not been approached by exporters to agree export health requirements with the Australian authorities for the export of fresh beef or any beef products other than those already mentioned.