HC Deb 17 November 2003 vol 413 cc627-30W
Mr. Hayes

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what procedures she has put in place to assess the effect of tariff reductions on egg imports on the UK's egg industry. [138034]

Mr. Bradshaw

There is still a considerable way to go in the WTO negotiations on tariff reductions before consideration can be given to the level of reduction applying to individual products. But we are well aware of the egg industry's concerns and we will do all we can to ensure the most favourable outcome possible for UK producers.

Mr. Hayes

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what direct subsidies are available to egg producers in(a) the United Kingdom, (b) France and (c) Germany. [138035]

Mr. Bradshaw

Given that the CAP regime for eggs is a very light one, it does not provide direct subsidies for EU egg producers. Some limited financial assistance is available to the UK egg industry under the England Rural Development Programme and Regional Selective Assistance. We do not hold information on the extent to which other member states make similar assistance available to their egg producers.

Mr. Hayes

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what conditions producers are required to meet to be licensed to receive export refunds for egg and poultry products; how many licences have been issued to UK farmers; and what level of export refunds are available to licence holders. [138036]

Mr. Bradshaw

In order to receive export refunds for egg and poultry products the applicant must be registered with the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). Export licences are required where quantities to be exported exceed certain amounts. Applicants for export licences must be natural or legal persons who, at the time applications are made, are able to prove to the satisfaction of the RPA that they have engaged in trade in the egg, or poultry, sector for at least 12 months.

Within the period of 1 November 2002 and 1 November 2003, 162 egg licences and 395 poultry licences were issued to UK farmers.

The level of export refund is determined by product (CN) code. Different egg/poultry products will have different product codes and rates of export refund, however for the period 1 November 2002 to 1 November 2003 the highest and lowest rates prevailing were: Egg products—lowest 1.70 euros/100gs; highest 75 euros/ 100kgs Poultry Products—lowest 0.80 euros/100kgs; highest 40 euros/100kgs

Mr. Hayes

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the timetable is for determining whether United Kingdom egg producers may continue to use enriched cages for housing laying hens. [138077]

Mr. Bradshaw

The future of enriched cages will be reviewed on an EU basis when the Welfare of Laying Hens Directive 99/74/EC is next considered by the Agriculture Council in 2005.

Mr. Hayes

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the conclusion of the European Union's Agricultural Research Department report that under EU Council directive 99/74/EC on the Welfare of Laying Hens, EU countries will not be able to compete in their home egg market after 2012; and if she will make a statement. [138078]

Mr. Bradshaw

The Government will consider this report along with other economic assessments in preparation for the review of the Welfare of Laying Hens Directive 99/74/EC in 2005.

Mr. Hayes

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she has taken to assist UK egg producers to compete in(a) European and (b) world wide markets. [138079]

Mr. Bradshaw

Subsidies to compete in the EU market would be incompatible with the principles of the Single Market. The EU egg regime provides for some limited export refunds in respect of egg exports to third countries.

Mr. Hayes

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will press the European Union to bring forward measures to enable EU countries to maintain their market share in the European egg market. [138080]

Mr. Bradshaw

The UK will continue to play an important role in formulating EU policy in this area.

Mr. Hayes

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what volume in tonnes of shelled eggs was(a) produced by United Kingdom farms, (b) produced by United Kingdom farms and sold at United Kingdom retail outlets and (c) produced by United Kingdom farms and exported in the last 10 years for which figures are available; and to which countries shelled eggs were exported. [138083]

Mr. Bradshaw

(a) The following table shows the production of shelled eggs in the United Kingdom for the last 10 years:

UK egg production
Thousand tonnes
Of which: For human consumption
Total Production of eggs1 Total Eggs sold in shell Eggs Processed
1993 202 180 158 22
1994 202 179 155 24
1995 199 176 151 26
1996 200 177 150 26
1997 206 181 153 29
1998 206 181 151 30
1999 194 169 138 32
2000 195 170 139 31
2001 209 184 153 31
2002 222 196 164 32
1 Includes eggs for human consumption, eggs for hatching, hatching eggs for export and waste

(b) There are no figures available on the volume of United Kingdom production of shelled eggs that is sold at retail outlets in the United Kingdom. However, the following table provides the volume of total UK production for human consumption less exports which will provide an indication of the volume of UK

Tonnes
Country 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Irish Republic 2,853 1,868 2,142 4,875 6,529 3,790 3,808 4,896 4,177 4,241
Netherlands 4,052 2,280 2,666 693 5,074 5,407 582 258 184 120
Italy 352 419 713 549 262 3,091 2,054 3,126 260 63
France 216 400 436 398 350 3,235 4,334 900 372 198
Germany 438 373 176 494 1,372 2,334 695 788 684 349
Denmark 57 200 89 79 321 4,191 110 39 23 18
Belgium-Lux 1,690 464 1,518 174 562 191 8 29 41
Spain 204 442 478 276 363 798 484 488 550 591
Saudi Arabia 19 0 0 0 132 271 747 1,612
Bulgaria 2,470 1
Hungary 3 21 9 28 8 422 6 48 167 905
Czech Republic 2 4 19 1,222 11 29 57
U.S.A. 131 177 69 24 8 35 95 136 84 23
Croatia 4 8 4 13 126 285 176 103 19 27
Austria 4 4 31 0 7 572
Turkey 0 5 12 11 4 169 279
Greece 2 3 1 0 331
Others 188 169 278 275 101 202 240 75 94 246
Total figure 10,212 6,828 8,589 7,913 15,105 27,673 12,737 11,174 7,605 9,632

Note:

Please note that figures of 0 are less than 0.5 tonnes.

Mr. Hayes

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what volume in tones of whole egg powder was(a) produced in the United Kingdom, (b) produced in the United Kingdom and sold in United Kingdom retail outlets and (c) produced in the United Kingdom and exported in the last 10 years for which figures are available; and to which countries whole egg powder was exported. [138084]

Mr. Bradshaw

No figures are available on the production of whole egg powder in the United Kingdom, nor on the volume of egg powder sold through United Kingdom retail outlets.

Mr. Hayes

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the reasons for the egg production costs in the United Kingdom; and what assessment she has production sold onto the UK market (including retail, catering, food processing and hatching eggs) UK Production of shelled eggs less exports (thousand tonnes).

UK production of shelled eggs less exports
Thousand tonnes
1993 191
1994 195
1995 190
1996 192
1997 191
1998 178
1999 181
2000 184
2001 201
2002 212

Note:

Includes table eggs, hatching eggs and other eggs for human consumption

(c) The following table provides details of shell egg exports over the last 10 years. This will be mainly of UK origin but may include some re-exports of imported eggs.

made of the reason for the primary egg production costs in (a) Poland, (b) the Ukraine and (c) the USA. [138085]

Mr. Bradshaw

We have made no assessment of the costs of egg production in those countries, but some of this information has been produced by the egg industry. Costs will depend on a number of different factors such as the costs of land and labour, inputs, transport etc.

Forward to