§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to assist pig producers. [106859]
§ Ms QuinSteps have already been taken. Formal and informal pig farming co-operatives were eligible to apply for a marketing grant under the Agriculture Development Scheme 1999. The scheme closed for applications on 30 November 1999 and successful applications will be announced shortly. My right hon. Friend the Minister has also announced his intention that pig producers will benefit significantly from an extra £5 million earmarked to help farmers improve their marketing, collaboration and competitiveness. Discussions with the industry are currently taking place on ways of making best use of the money.
The "verification officer" appointed by the Minister will continue his work with industry bodies to identify cases where product is being sold at retail or catering level which might mislead the consumer into believing it contains pork of British origin when in fact it is imported. He will also continue to check progress on the commitment given some time ago by major retailers that all their own label fresh pork and certain processed products such as bacon would come from stall and tether and Meat and Bone Meal free production systems.
At the request of the Minister, the interpretation of the Food Labelling Regulations 1996 as they affected origin marking are to be tightened up. New industry guidelines were put out for consultation and responses received. Those guidelines will be issued shortly.
We continue to try and persuade public authorities that buying to British welfare and other standards offers good value and meets the needs of their "customers". To back up this message, the Minister has written to local councils and health authorities in England to emphasise the importance of sourcing to British standards.
The Minister wrote to Commissioner Fischler on 20 October urging him to re-open the Aids to Private Storage scheme and re-instate the special refund on exports of fresh and frozen carcase meat and cuts to Russia. In addition, UK officials attending the monthly Pigmeat Management Committee meeting, chaired by the Commission, have called for similar action at each meeting since September 1999 (most recently, at the meeting on 18 January).
§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent discussions he has had with the European Union Commissioner on state aids to the pig sector. [106858]
§ Ms QuinMy right hon. Friend the Minister has many discussions with Mr. Fischler on all manner of topics. The Minister wrote to Mr. Fischler on state aids on 20 December 1999 and both he and I discussed these with Mr. Fischler in the margins of the Agriculture Council on Monday 24 January.