§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to promote English(a) beef and (b) lamb. [153441]
§ Alun MichaelThe promotion of English beef and lamb is a matter for the industry. The Meat and Livestock Commission's English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX) is considering whether to introduce an English brand for beef and lamb produced in England, but any promotion of this would need to be in accordance with the EU's rules on state aids.
§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the spend of her Department is on the promotion of English(a) beef and (b) lamb in the current financial year. [153890]
§ Alun MichaelEU co-funding is available for promotion and information campaigns carried out by industry bodies such as the Meat and Livestock Commission. We work closely with such bodies and the EU Commission with a view to maximising the benefit to the UK industry. We also encourage the marketing and branding of local and regional produce. A processing and marketing grant is also available within the England Rural Development Programme. Our approach, in keeping with the Treaty of Rome and our policy to help create a sustainable future for farming and food, is about helping the farming industry to move away from dependency on subsidies. This also fits well with our policy for reforming the Common Agricultural Policy.