§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has had from pig farmers about labelling of Scottish-produced bacon; and what action he is taking in respect of country of origin(a) labelling and (b) packing. [60405]
§ Mr. MacdonaldMy noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State, Lord Sewel has met industry representatives, including pig farmers, on a number of occasions since the collapse in prices in the pig sector. Labelling home-produced bacon and pork was one of the issues discussed. There is no EU legislation governing the labelling of pigmeat. However, under the Food Safety Act 1990 it is an offence to describe a food falsely or make misleading descriptions as to the nature, substance or quality of the food. The information on the food label must also meet the labelling requirement in the Food Labelling (Scotland) Regulations 1984. Food must be labelled with particulars of its place of origin, if failure to give such particulars might mislead a purchaser as to the true origin of the food. The presence of this legislation allows home-produced bacon and pork to be identified to consumers at retail level. The Government are discussing with major retailers, wholesalers and caterers how best to ensure that the consumer can exercise choice.