§ Mr. BayleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, column 523, what assessment he has made as to whether the European Commission proposals to replace the 1973 cocoa and chocolate products directive will adequately (a) protect the diversity of chocolate recipes which may be marketed within the European Community and (b) safeguard the use of the name chocolate on products containing mixtures of vegetable 506W fats currently marketed throughout the European Community; and what is his policy on the Commission's new draft directive on this matter. [29025]
§ Mrs. BrowningI refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Swindon (Mr. Coombs) on 24 April 1996,Official Report, column 212.
We have not yet seen the formal text of the proposals for the new cocoa and chocolate directive. I sympathise with the points made by the hon. Member and can assure him that we shall seek to protect the legitimate interests of United Kingdom consumers and manufacturers during negotiations.