§ Lord Stanley of Alderleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether it is permissible to sell beef on the bone in the United Kingdom from beef carcasses which have originated from countries considered to be free from BSE such as Germany, New Zealand or the United States. [HL870]
§ The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Donoughue)No. Regulation 3(1) of the Beef Bones Regulations 1997 prohibits the sale of any bone-in beef to the ultimate consumer. There are no exemptions to this prohibition, irrespective of the BSE status of the country of origin. Beef may be imported on the bone but, like home produced supplies, must be deboned in a food premises before sale to the ultimate consumer.