§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what imports of Argentinean meat have entered the UK food chain in the last 12 months; if the meat is from vaccinated sources; and if it is organically produced. [20002]
§ Mr. MorleyThe table at Annexe A shows the amount of meat of foot and mouth disease susceptible species imported into the UK during the last 12 months for which statistics are available. There is no guarantee that all this meat entered the UK food chain as some meat may be re-exported.
The importation into the UK of fresh meat derived from foot and mouth disease susceptible animals originating in Argentina is currently prohibited. Prior to the prohibition, meat from vaccinated animals could be imported from Argentina, but had to be deboned and fully matured so as to remove any risk of the live foot and mouth disease virus being present.
According to an estimate in the Soil Association Organic Food and Farming report 2001 some 45 per cent. of organic meat sold in the UK is imported. It is therefore possible that some meat from organic production has been imported from Argentina. Customs import figures are not available for organic meat from Argentina because organic products are not distinguishable from conventional products in the data collected by Customs.
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