§ Ms ShipleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures the Government are taking to reduce the number of single ingredient foods exempted from listing. [30482]
§ Mr. RookerThe Food Labelling Regulations 1996 will be amended on 1 July this year to make clear that this exemption applies only to those single ingredient foods the name of which is identical to that of the name of the ingredient, or where the name enables the nature of the ingredient to be identified clearly. These changes—which we have supported—are as a result of new EC requirements which will become compulsory with effect from 14 February 2000.
§ Ms ShipleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures the Government are taking to harmonise European terminology used on food labels. [30485]
§ Mr. RookerI assume that my hon. Friend is referring to new requirements for quantitative ingredient declarations which become compulsory on 14 February 2000. The UK has taken the lead in the EC on guidelines to explain these requirements so that consumers are given consistent and uniform information on food labels.
§ Ms ShipleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to ensure that ingredients containing starch and modified starch indicate their specific vegetable origin if they are likely to contain gluten. [30483]
§ Mr. RookerYes. The Food Labelling Regulations 1996 will be amended on 1 July this year to introduce this new requirement, which will become compulsory with effect from 14 February 2000.
§ Ms ShipleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures the Government will take to implement the new EC directive on food labelling by 2000. [30484]
§ Mr. RookerThe Food Labelling Regulations 1996 will be amended on 1 July this year to implement directive 97/4/EC. The new requirements will become compulsory with effect from 14 February 2000.