§ 22. Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with the French Minister for Agriculture about the quality and safety of French beef. [47179]
Dr. John CunninghamI chaired the Agriculture Council on 31 March when proposals for Community-wide controls on Specified Risk Materials were discussed and it was agreed to defer the introduction of the provisions of Decision 97/534 until 1 January 1999 and to invite the Commission to table a proposal after the OIE meeting which took place in May. The UK and France supported the introduction of controls on bovine offals and have, in the absence of agreed Community rules, both introduced national controls on this material in order to protect public and animal health.