Chamber and committees

The Food Standards Agency advises that the Fresh Meat (Beef Controls) (No. 2) Regulations 1996 (as amended) provide powers for enforcement officers to ensure that meat intended for human consumption, imported or otherwise, has been derived either from cattle from a low-risk BSE country, or from cattle no more than thirty months old at slaughter, unless specifically exempted under the Beef Assurance Scheme. In addition, all meat from premises licensed under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 must be accompanied by the appropriate health mark indicating that the meat has been subject to official veterinary controls and is therefore fit for human consumption.

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.

The International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES), the scientific body which advises European Community fisheries managers, identified the need to establish cod recovery plans in their most recent advice. Two cod recovery plans have been established, in the North Sea and in waters to the West of Scotland. These initial measures are aimed at protecting spawning cod congregations. Further technical measures are currently being developed by the European Community in consultation with the fishing industry.

The full range of cod recovery measures has yet to be agreed: the closed areas in the North Sea and off the west coast represent initial, emergency measures to help protect cod stocks. The aim of recovery measures is of course to help ensure sustainable and viable fisheries in the longer term, in the interests of fishermen and fishing communities.We announced last October the availability of record levels of support for the fisheries sector under the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG). We also announced this morning a £27 million package of support for the industry, including up to £25 million for decommissioning during the coming financial year, to bring whitefish capacity more closely into line with available fishing opportunities and help put the remainder of the fleet on a sounder financial footing for the future.

The eight Veterinary Disease Surveillance Centres, operated by the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) throughout Scotland, and SAC's Central Diagnostic Laboratory at Penicuik, are supported through grant-in-aid from the Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department. SAC also receives substantial external income in respect of commercial diagnostic services provided through the centres. The Veterinary Investigative Centre at Lasswade is operated by the Veterinary Laboratory Agency, funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

The Scottish Office Development Department Circular 4/1997 lays down the criteria which require local authorities to notify planning applications to the Scottish Ministers. Reference of a case to the Commissioner for Local Administration in Scotland is not included and, therefore, is not a planning reason for call-in.

The Transitional Relief arrangements, set in place following the 2000 Revaluation of Non-Domestic Rates, give significant protection to those businesses, including hotels, facing an increase. There is also rate relief for smaller businesses. The New Strategy for Scottish Tourism, published last year, contains actions to grow tourism in the Highlands and Islands.

The Food Standards Agency has advised me that the situation regarding the scallop industry has been moving rapidly in recent weeks with much activity both domestically and at a European level. However, answers to all the questions concerned have now been answered.

Samples of all bivalve molluscs harvested for human consumption are tested for the presence of toxins. The molluscs tested include: mussels, oysters, scallops, queens, razor fish and cockles.

I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-09757.