HC Deb 25 June 1996 vol 280 cc99-100W
Sir David Knox

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list the non-Commonwealth countries that do not ban British beef exports, indicating the value of beef exports to each of these countries in the last year for which figures are available; [31606]

(2) if he will list the Commonwealth countries that do not ban British beef exports, indicating the value of beef imports to each of these countries in the last year for which figures are available; [31608]

(3) if he will list the Commonwealth countries that ban British beef exports and the value of beef exports to each of those countries in the most recent year for which figures are available; [31822]

(4) if he will list the non-Commonwealth countries that ban British beef exports, indicating the value of beef exports to each of these countries in the last year for which figures are available. [31754]

Mrs. Browning

I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Sir Wyn Roberts

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of British beef exports, by tonnage and value, went to European countries from which they are currently banned in the 12 months before the implementation of the ban. [33333]

Mrs. Browning

[holding answer 18 June 1996]: The Commission ban on the export of beef from the UK was introduced on 27 March 1996. Provisional data on exports of beef from the United Kingdom between March 1995 and February 1996—the latest information available—as recorded in the overseas trade statistics, are shown in the table. Beef exported from, but not originating in, the UK is not separately identifiable.

Tonnes £000s Percentage of total UK exports by weight Percentage of total UK exports by value
European Community 231,962 554,424 81.2 90.2
Other European countries 5,531 9,616 1.9 1.6
Total Europe 237,293 564,040 83.1 91.8

The figures for beef cover carcass meat of bovine origin and all other bovine products fit for human consumption, including offals and cooked products.