HC Deb 22 February 1999 vol 326 c191W
Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the annual budget for the Meat and Livestock Commission's new quality standard mark for pigmeat; and if he will make a statement on how the success of the scheme will be measured. [71036]

Mr. Rooker

The funding of the British Quality Standard for Pigmeat and its measures of success are matters for the industry through the Meat and Livestock Commission's Pig Strategy Council.

Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the(a) timescale and (b) budget for extending the new Meat and Livestock Commission quality standard mark on pigmeat to other meat products. [70923]

Mr. Rooker

The British Quality Standard for Pigmeat was developed by the pigmeat industry itself through the Meat and Livestock Commissions Pig Strategy Council. The possible development of quality standard marks for lamb and beef are matters for the respective strategy councils for those products. The budget is to be set-aside for technical and promotional work of this nature is a matter for the MLC in consultation with the industry. Poultry meat is outside the remit of MLC.

Mr. Paul Marsden

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what(a) plans he has for and (b) representations he has received on the incorporation of existing farm assurance schemes into the new Meat and Livestock Commission quality standard mark for pig meat. [70924]

Mr. Rooker

None; the British Quality Standard for Pigmeat and the various farm assurance and quality schemes in the pigmeat sector are all industry run and industry funded operations. The relationship between them is therefore a matter for the industry itself.