§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions in how many instances trading standards officers have discovered 759W since December 2000 Dutch mushrooms being sold in United Kingdom supermarkets as British mushrooms; what steps are taken to authenticate the source of mushrooms sold as British; and if he will make a statement. [16392]
§ Mr. MorleyI have been asked to reply.
The information requested is not available. It is not obligatory for the country of origin of mushrooms to be declared, although general food labelling rules require this information to be given if its omission would be misleading. Consideration is being given to the inclusion of mushrooms in EC Horticultural Marketing Standards which do require the country of origin to be given.