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AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD
Genetically Modified Food
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps the Government have taken to prevent the patenting of genes used for manufacture of food products. [69011]
Mr. Battle: I have been asked to reply.
The Patents Act 1977 sets down the requirements which must be met to obtain patents for inventions in all fields of technology. Under this Act it is possible to patent genes for use in any manufacturing sector; the food sector included. However, the mere discovery that a gene exists in nature, when there has been no technical step, is not patentable. During negotiations on a recently adopted EC Directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions (98/44/EC), the United Kingdom Government ensured that the Directive does not extend what is patentable in this area.
The Directive also confirms that patent rights are granted without prejudice to other legislation. Thus, if a patented gene is used in the manufacture of food products, its use is subject to all other legislation which controls such acts, including those laws protecting human and animal health and the environment.
Mr. Steen:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will give producer organisations an allocation of effort for beam trawlers for the 1999 fishing year; and if he will make a statement on the factors which have given rise to delay. [69865]
15 Feb 1999 : Column: 576
Mr. Morley
[holding answer 11 February 1999]: As I explained during the Fisheries debate on 15 December 1998, Official Report, column 829, a first meeting with the industry was held earlier that day on possible modifications to the beam trawl effort allocation arrangements introduced last year. During those discussions the industry raised a number of points with us and asked for certain illustrative figures to be prepared as the basis for further talks. This work involves updating the fleet segmentation and looking at other detailed technical issues. The Producer Organisations concerned understand what is involved and that it is not possible to provide definitive figures at the start of the fishing year. We will convene a further meeting soon.
Mr. Paice:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many abattoirs have indicated that they are prepared to be dedicated to the date-based export scheme. [70631]
Mr. Rooker
[holding answer 11 February 1999]: A small number have expressed an interest, but we have not at this stage asked for formal applications. It would be premature to do so before the Commission have carried out their inspection, which they must do before a date can be set for the resumption of exports.
Mr. Malcolm Bruce:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the items sold by his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies from those listed in the National Assets Register of November 1997; if he will give in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total cash raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. [70414]
15 Feb 1999 : Column: 577
Mr. Morley
[holding answer 11 February 1999]: In the time available, it is possible to provide only information relating to disposals of land and buildings. These are listed in the table.
| Property | Sale price |
|---|---|
| Government Buildings, Crosby Road, North Yorks | (63)1 |
| Government Buildings, Alphington Road, Exeter Devon | 5,916,008 |
| Tangley Place, Worplesdon, Guildford, Surrey | 863,000 |
| Litley Court, Hampton Park Road, Hereford | 527,000 |
| 130 Hyndford Road, Lanark, Scotland | 225,000 |
| Pocklington Industrial Estate, Pocklington, East Yorks | 325,000 |
| 357 Station Road, South Leigh, Oxon | 67,000 |
(63) The buildings at Crosby Road which were erected at Government expense in the 1950s, were in need of replacement. Various options were considered including a new build by Government, a Private Finance Initiative arrangement, and a private developer scheme. A variation of the last of these options involving the sale of the site to the developer and a lease back after modern replacement buildings had been erected, offered best value for money for the Exchequer.
The total income received from the disposals listed above is £7,923,009.
We aim to dispose of a further 20 properties over the next two years or so.
Bovine TB
Mr. Paice: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has for controlling TB in cattle in the areas outside the study areas identified by Professor Bourne for the duration of that study. [70633]
Mr. Rooker [holding answer 11 February 1999]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for East Devon (Sir P. Emery) on 11 February 1999, Official Report, columns 418-19.
Meat Hygiene Service
Mr. Todd: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has made contingency plans to deal with the consequences of disruption to the services offered by the Meat Hygiene Service in the event of industrial action; and if he will make a statement. [68319]
Mr. Rooker: Contingency plans were drawn up to minimise the effect of industrial action by Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) staff on Tuesday 2 February. Food safety, public health and animal welfare were fully protected. The MHS strictly enforced meat hygiene, specified risk material and animal welfare Regulations in all licensed plants whether or not they were able to operate on the day of strike action.
The decision by UNISON to call strike action by its Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) members at the present time is very disappointing. MHS staff have a vital role to play in ensuring the highest hygiene and animal welfare standards are applied within plants. The MHS pay offer is fair and equitable. Indeed, the total value of the offer is on par with the current average civil service settlements.
The MHS is continuing negotiations with UNISON with the involvement of ACAS to seek to resolve the dispute at the earliest opportunity.
Mr. Waterson:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps are being taken by the Government to assist a resolution of the current abattoir inspectors' dispute. [70198]
15 Feb 1999 : Column: 578
Mr. Rooker:
The decision by UNISON to call strike action by its Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) members at the present time is very disappointing. MHS staff have a vital role to play in ensuring the highest hygiene and animal welfare standards are applied within plants. The MHS pay offer is fair and equitable. Indeed, the total value of the offer is on par with the current average civil service settlements.
The negotiation to pay is delegated to officials. The MHS is continuing negotiations with UNISON with the involvement of ACAS to seek to resolve the dispute at the earliest opportunity.
Mr. Alan Simpson:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the current procedures for approving genetically engineered animal feeds; if ACRE has sole responsibility for assessing applications; and who will take such decisions in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) the European Union. [70347]
Mr. Rooker:
In addition to meeting requirements applicable to all animal feeds, a GM feeding stuff requires approval for commercial use following the procedures set out in Directive 90/220/EEC. This Directive has the objective of ensuring that the product does not cause harm to animals, human health or the environment. The applicant must submit a dossier of the required information to one Member State who takes the lead for that product, and assesses the information and the potential risks. Once content, the lead Member State forwards the dossier to the Commission with an opinion. Other Member States then consider the dossier and are free to require further information. A collective decision on whether to give EU wide approval for the product is then decided by qualified majority voting.
In the United Kingdom, the dossiers are considered by DETR in consultation with MAFF and the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Offices. The Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires that formal advice on the safety of GM animal feed is sought from the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE). In addition, the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP) also advises MAFF Ministers on implications for the safety of food. In the near future, there will be an important role for the new Advisory Committee on Animal Feedingstuffs, liaising as necessary with ACRE and the ACNFP. Advice is also sought from interests in other Departments and English Nature. The final decision is made by the Secretaries of State and the Minister of Agriculture acting jointly.
Mr. Alan Simpson:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he will take to ensure that genetically engineered animal feed is labelled as such. [70348]
Mr. Rooker:
The Ministry is pressing the Commission to forward to the Council its proposal on novel feeds, to include labelling of GM materials.
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