§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what representations she has received from the UK pig industry about overseas restrictions on the export of British pigs; [64463]
(2) what representations she has made, and to which countries, to remove restrictions on the export of pigs from the United Kingdom. [64462]
§ Margaret BeckettI have received a number of letters from the UK pig industry, which is naturally anxious that overseas restrictions on the import of British pigs are removed as soon as possible. The Chief Veterinary Officer wrote to his opposite numbers in other countries on 25 January this year asking them to recognise the UK's foot and mouth disease free status and requesting import certification requirements for livestock and genetic material. Officials in my Department are working closely with representatives from the livestock industry to identify the priority markets and to pursuade those countries to lift any remaining restrictions. The priority countries for pigs and porcine genetic material include Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Slovak Republic, South Africa, Thailand, USA. This is being pursued by a variety of methods such as lobbying officials at trade shows, bringing them in on inward missions, getting British Embassies to make representations and through further correspondence.