Eggs (Hansard, 1 December 1997)

§ Mr. Paice
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what proportion of UK egg production is from(a) battery, (b) deep litter, (c) barn and (d) free range systems; and what were the figures 10 years ago; [18377]
(2) how many eggs were produced by UK producers in 1996; and how many were imported from (a) other EU countries and (b) non-EU countries; [18376]
(3) how many laying hens are currently housed in (a) battery, (b) deep litter, (c) barn and (d) free range systems. [18378]

§ Mr. Rooker
In 1996, 774 million dozen eggs were produced by UK producers for human consumption, 52 million dozen¹ were imported from EC countries and 1 million dozen¹ were imported from non EC countries.
In 1996, 86 per cent. of eggs were produced by intensive systems, 11 per cent. were produced by free range systems and 3 per cent. were produced by perchery and other systems. This level of detail was not collected 10 years ago, and therefore no equivalent comparison can be made.
No information is available on the number of hens split by production systems.
¹ Includes shell egg and shell egg equivalent of whole (dried, frozen and liquid) egg and egg yolk, but excludes albumen.

§ Mr. Paice
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many eggs were imported from countries where mammalian meat and bone meal is incorporated in feedstuffs during 1996. [18379]

§ Mr. Rooker
During 1996, 52 million dozen¹ eggs were imported from EC countries and 1 million dozen¹ were imported from non-EC countries. We believe that most of these are destined for processing. We do not have detailed information on legislation on all feed controls in place elsewhere but are unaware of any measures in place in other countries, during 1996 or before, banning mammalian meat and bonemeal (MBM) from non-ruminant feed. The poultry feed may therefore have included MBM.
¹ Includes shell egg and shell egg equivalent of whole (dried, frozen and liquid) egg and egg yolk, but excludes albumen.

§ Mr. Paice
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what proposals he intends to make to the EU Council of Ministers during the UK Presidency regarding battery systems of egg production; [18381]
(2) what steps he is taking regarding phasing out battery systems of egg production. [18380]

§ Mr. Rooker
We aim to phase out the conventional battery cage. This needs to be achieved at the European level, by developing measures in the Council of Ministers. That is why we are pressing the Commission to submit urgently for negotiation in the Council its proposals to update the EU rules on the welfare of laying hens.
19W

§ Mr. Paice
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that imported eggs and poultry meat meet the hygiene requirements for United Kingdom producers. [18388]

§ Mr. Rooker
The import conditions for trade in poultrymeat and eggs within the Community, and for imports from third countries, are governed by Community legislation. The EU shell egg marketing legislation and Council Decision 94/371 both provide for and apply a maximum "best-before" limit of 28 days after lay for the marketing of shell eggs. These provisions are enforced by the relevant enforcement authorities including the Egg Marketing Inspectorate.