§ Mr. SwinneyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of beef sold in the United Kingdom is sourced from cattle born after 1 August 1996; and if he will make a statement. [21599]
§ Mr. Rooker[holding answer 18 December 1997]: Information on the percentage of beef sold in the United Kingdom sourced from cattle born after 1 August 1996 is not readily available but so far few animals of this age will have been slaughtered. In time the age of an increasing number of slaughtered animals will be known as a system of cattle passports, which record birth and death details, was introduced in Great Britain on 1 July 1996.
§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment the European Commission has made of the advantages of banning beef exports from countries which have detected BSE in their cattle. [23360]
§ Mr. RookerThe European Commission has banned exports of beef from the UK, but has not banned exports from other Member States which have reported cases of BSE. The Commission takes advice on BSE related issues from the Scientific Steering Committee. Summaries of the proceedings of that Committee are published on the Internet at: http://europa.eu.int/en/comm/dg24/scientif/ncomm0/index.html