§ 22. Mr. LoughtonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he will take to ensure British farmers can compete on even terms with farmers in countries that have lower food and animal welfare standards. [63006]
§ Mr. RookerI am working hard to create a level playing field for standards across the European Union. As a result of initiatives we took in our Presidency, the European Commission has been charged with producing a report by June 1999 considering the relationship between EU and third country farm animal welfare standards and making any necessary proposals.