Oral Answers to Questions

Alun Cairns Excerpts

Thursday 9th September 2010 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Stephenson (Pendle) (Con)]

11. What plans her Department has to amend the food labelling standards for which it is responsible; and if she will make a statement.

[Alun Cairns (Vale of Glamorgan) (Con)]

14. What plans her Department has to amend the food labelling standards for which it is responsible; and if she will make a statement.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mrs Spelman]

I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. We are negotiating on the proposed EU food information regulation, to ensure clarity in food labelling for consumers, especially on country of origin. That will ensure that unprocessed meat can be labelled as British only if it comes from an animal born, reared and slaughtered in the UK. Processed foods labelled as being made here will also have to show the origin of their main ingredient if that is from outside the UK.

[Alun Cairns]

I am grateful to the Secretary of State for her answer. Will she go further and advise us how far she will push in the negotiations for the nations and regions of the UK to be reflected in labelling?

[Mrs Spelman]

The negotiations have been ongoing for about three years, as the right hon. Member for Leeds Central (Hilary Benn) will confirm, but under the Belgian presidency it is hoped that a political agreement will be reached by the end of the year. The discussion is about country of origin labelling; regional identification is already permitted on labels and is an important part of the Government’s strategy to encourage the recognition and protection of good-quality regionally produced foods, with which all of us as consumers would readily identify.