Agriculture Council, 16th and 17th December (Hansard, 13 January 1997)

Lord Lucas:

My right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food represented the United Kingdom at the Agriculture Council in Brussels on 17th December, accompanied by my noble friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Scottish Office. The department's Permanent Secretary represented the United Kingdom on 16th December.

My right honourable friend reported to the Agriculture Council the decision of the Government, which he had announced to the House on 16th December, to proceed with the selective cull of cattle at most risk of BSE. He also informed the Council of our progress in implementing the other conditions laid down in the Florence agreement and our intention to submit proposals for a certified herds scheme to the Commission early in the New Year.

The Council reached agreement by qualified majority on a Commission proposal, brought forward at UK instigation, to amend the directive laying down minimum standards for the protection of calves. In the modified terms agreed by the Council, the amended directive will bring in significantly improved conditions for the housing of calves. Calves up to eight weeks old will have to be given enough space to turn round, and calves over eight weeks old will have to be housed in groups, with more space allowed as they grow in size. In addition, the Commission undertook to set rules requiring the inclusion of at least a minimum amount of iron in calves' diet, and the inclusion of fibre for all calves over two weeks old. As to timing, the Council agreed that all new calf housing must conform with the revised rules with effect from January 1998, and that existing installations must meet the new rules by 31st December 2006. On the latter, my right honourable friend argued for a shorter transition period but received no support. This agreement will lead to 10WA significant improvements in the way veal calves are treated throughout the European Union. The proposal on which Italy voted against and Spain abstained, will be formally adopted early in the New Year.

The Council reached agreement on a number of other veterinary and plant health measures, including the conclusion by qualified majority (Finland voting against) of a veterinary agreement on trade between the European Union and New Zealand in live animals and animal products. The Council considered, but failed to agree on, a proposal banning the use of specified risk materials in the manufacture of animal feed and food stuffs. The Commission undertook to consider making further proposals in this area in the light of advice from the EU Scientific Veterinary Committee.

The United Kingdom welcomed the Commission's announcement of early proposals on the welfare of animals in transport, specifically in respect of staging points for animal journeys. The United Kingdom opposed proposals to modify the arable area payments scheme in ways which would have weakened the penalties falling on arable products for excess production. In the beef sector, the Council held a wide-ranging discussion of the operation of the beef early marketing scheme and the calf processing scheme. The United Kingdom pressed the Commission to review the rates of aid payable under the latter so as to prevent undesirable distortion of the markets.