Chamber and committees

Partnership in Practice agreements are being monitored for the extent to which they identify clear outputs and outcomes to be achieved locally over the next three years, and for effective use of new and existing resources to achieve the aims of The same as you?

The Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme was introduced to alleviate welfare problems arising from the movement restriction imposed during the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. I am concerned about the prospects for the sheep and lamb trade over the remainder of the year; however, I am actively exploring with other UK Agriculture Ministers possible means of addressing the position.

The Executive, in conjunction with other agricultural and interested departments, is examining options for a return to export status for meat, meat products and live animals. I recognise the pressure for an early, and possibly staged, resumption of trade abroad from areas of Scotland that have been free of foot-and-mouth disease. It is likely that Europe will set very tough conditions before exports can resume.

Careful consideration is being given at present to the possibility of some transactions through markets being permitted this autumn. I understand the need for this and have sympathy with the difficulties of moving large numbers of animals without some involvement of markets. I cannot give any assurances until the options have been assessed fully, however.

I remain unhappy with the Council agreement on deep-water species. I promised the Scottish Fishermen's Federation a letter to the Commission. That letter has now issued from Elliot Morley's office asking the Commission to take into account the neglected views of the industry. We now expect the regulation to be adopted formally at a forthcoming Council, and will be consulting the industry shortly on management arrangements.

The butterfat adjusted wholesale production figure for quota year ended 31 March 2001 was 55,378,455 litres. The direct sales figure for quota year ended 31 March 2001 is not yet available.

Responsibility for sampling and monitoring scallops for toxins transferred to the Food Standards Agency in April 2000. From April this year the agency began publishing results for whole animal tests as well as the roe. However, in common with previous years, action continues to be assessed on the basis of the test result from the gonad, though where toxin levels in the whole animal test exceed EU action levels, fishermen are being advised not to market whole animals from affected areas. On the proposals to move to a tiered system, the FSA advise me that a Scottish consultation letter is expected to be issued in the next few weeks.

Wholesale quota available for use in the quota year ending 31 March 2001 was 52,856,125 litres. Direct sales quota was 417,390 litres. These figures take account of the removal of Islay from the Southern Isles ring fenced area.

The Scottish Executive welcomes the European Commission’s Green Paper on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy as a good basis for taking the review forward. The document appears to address many of the concerns of the Scottish fishing industry and is a reflection of the Executive's hard work to date.The Executive will make a formal response to the Green Paper once we have fully consulted stakeholders.

The Food Standards Agency advise that although recent EU legislation provides for some elements of compulsory beef labelling, the agency continues to attach great importance to clear and unambiguous country of origin labelling for all meat and meat products and is pressing the Commission and others on this. Effective systems are in plan to provide assurance about the source of meat being imported into the UK. In terms of traceability, all beef entering the UK from other member states will have been subject to a veterinary inspection there and health marked in accordance with EU legislation.Under EU trade agreements with individual third countries meat can only be exported into the EU from specific Commission-approved plants. Each consignment of meat imported to the UK is therefore subject to a document inspection at designated Border Inspection Points (BIPs) to ensure that the meat is properly health marked and comes from an approved plant. Daily enforcement of these standards is provided by the veterinary services of that state and overseen by the Commission.