HC Deb 01 February 1999 vol 324 cc536-8W
Mr. Welsh

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to introduce compulsory labelling for imported pork products which do not meet UK welfare, veterinary and feed standards. [68143]

Mr. Rooker

None; but I welcome the initiatives taken by many retailers to introduce voluntary labelling schemes giving consumers more information about rearing standards. My right hon. Friend the Minister has received assurances from the major supermarkets that all their own label fresh pork, bacon, ham, sausages and pork pies will come from stall and tether and meat and bone meal free production systems; also, they will not label as British processed products produced from imported fresh port.

I am sure the launch earlier this month by the Meat and Livestock Commission of the quality pigmark scheme will help consumers to identify pigmeat products in the shops which have been produced to British standards.

Mr. Welsh

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the annual tonnage of pork meat products entering the UK; and what estimate he has of the percentage of this imported meat which is produced from animals that would not meet UK(a) welfare, (b) veterinary and (c) feed regulation standards. [68142]

Mr. Rooker

In the five years 1994–98, the UK imported around 160,000 tonnes of pork on average every year from other EU member states (imports from third countries are minimal). All would have met EU welfare, veterinary and feed requirements. Since March 1996, the UK has not permitted mammalian meat and bone meal to be fed to farm animals, a ban which is not in place in all member states. Also, since 1 January 1999, the UK has had a ban on housing pigs in close confinement stall and tether systems; although it is impossible to say what proportion of imported pork has not met these production standards since their introduction, it is likely to be very small.

Mr. Welsh

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what statutory provisions prevent the introduction of a ban on the import of pork products where the pork does not meet UK welfare, veterinary and feed regulation standards. [68161]

Mr. Rooker

Single Market Legislation and European Court of Justice Rulings protect the free circulation of goods in the EU. In areas where there is a common market, such as pigmeat, if products conform to EU requirements, individual member states cannot introduce a unilateral ban. In respect of third country trade, the World Trade Organisation Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures gives WTO members the right to take measures necessary for the protection of human, animal or plant life or health, provided that these are based on scientific principles and are not maintained without sufficient scientific evidence.