HC Deb 07 July 1998 vol 315 cc496-7W
Mr. Greenway

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to review the Dairy Products (Hygiene) Regulations to improve their compatibility with Welfare of Animals Regulations. [48755]

Mr. Rooker

The Dairy Products (Hygiene) Regulations 1995 (as amended) already lay down animal health standards, and conditions for housing of animals, as well as general conditions of hygiene for production holdings which require that all animals should be clean and well kept. I am not aware of any incompatibility with welfare legislation.

Mr. Martlew

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those countries which have an import ban on UK dairy products; and if he will make a statement. [48644]

Mr. Rooker

The countries which have an import ban on UK dairy products are Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Uzbekistan, Guatemala, Tanzania, Tunisia, Argentina, Guinea Bissau and Syria. Action taken by the Government to encourage these bans to be lifted includes the provision of evidence from independent bodies including the World Health Organisation, the International Epizootics Organisation, the European Union's Scientific and Standing Veterinary Committees and the UK Spongiform Encephalophy Advisory Committee (SEAC), confirming the safety of UK dairy products in relation to BSE. Similar bans in a number of other countries have now been lifted.

MAFF staff in post summary table
Permanent staff Casual staff Total staff
Department/Agency 1 April 1997 1 January 1998 1 April 1997 1 January 1998 1 April 1997 1 January 1998
Core MAFF 5,649 5,748 629 614 6,278 6,362
Farming and Rural Conservation Agency 436 512 55 60 491 572
Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science 410 409 23 27 433 436
Central Science Laboratory 521 549 44 22 565 571
Meat Hygiene Service 796 905 415 539 1,211 1,444
Pesticides Safety Directorate 194 192 13 13 207 205
Veterinary Laboratories Agency 986 992 39 45 1,025 1,037
Veterinary Medicines Directorate 100 105 4 2 104 107
MAFF total 9,092 9,412 1,222 1,322 10,314 10,734

Note:

Staff numbers expressed as Full-Time Equivalents (FTE) with part-time staff counted as a proportion of net conditioned hours worked.