Asked by: Hannah Bardell (Scottish National Party - Livingston)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union on the protected designated origin status of Orkney Scottish Island Cheddar in a trade deal with the EU after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Eustice
The Government supports the use of geographical indications (GIs) and will prioritise continued protection of the best of our UK food and drink. The EU rules that currently govern the enforcement of geographical indications will be placed on a UK legal basis through the EU Withdrawal Bill.
We will of course engage on how we continue to protect the best of our UK food and drink as we leave the EU and consider future trade opportunities across the world. Future protection of UK protected products in the EU, and EU protected products in the UK, is subject to negotiations with the EU on our future economic partnership.
Ministers meet regularly in a variety of fora for discussions on such issues.
Asked by: Hannah Bardell (Scottish National Party - Livingston)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions has he had with the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union on the protected designated origin status of Stornoway Black Pudding in a trade deal with the EU after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Eustice
The Government supports the use of geographical indications (GIs) and will prioritise continued protection for our UK food and drink. The EU rules that currently govern the enforcement of geographical indications will be placed on a UK legal basis through the EU Withdrawal Bill.
Ministers meet regularly in a variety of fora for discussions on such issues.
Asked by: Hannah Bardell (Scottish National Party - Livingston)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union on the protected designated origin status of Shetland lamb in a trade deal with the EU after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Eustice
The Government supports the use of geographical indications (GIs) and will prioritise continued protection for our UK food and drink. The EU rules that currently govern the enforcement of geographical indications will be placed on a UK legal basis through the EU Withdrawal Bill.
Ministers meet regularly in a variety of fora for discussions on such issues.
Asked by: Hannah Bardell (Scottish National Party - Livingston)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether it is his policy to ban the importation of American beef containing artificial growth hormones after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Eustice
Any new trade deals must be right for UK consumers, businesses and farmers, and ensure food safety, environmental protection, and animal welfare standards.
The UK has transposed EU Council Directive 96/22/EC (as amended) into national law ‘Animals and Animal Products (Examination for Residues and Maximum Residue Limits)(England and Scotland) Regulations 2015', with similar legislation for Wales and Northern Ireland, which prohibits the use of artificial growth hormones in both domestic production and imported products. This protection will continue after we exit the EU.
The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, published last week, will ensure that the UK exits the EU with certainty, continuity and control. The purpose of the Bill is to convert EU law into UK law as it applies in the UK at the moment of exit. This will apply to the laws and rules we have now, and will update references to EU Council Directive 96/22/EC in our national laws.
Our high environmental and food standards will not be diminished or diluted as a result of leaving the EU or establishing free trade deals with other countries.
Asked by: Hannah Bardell (Scottish National Party - Livingston)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he last discussed with his European counterparts imports of American beef containing artificial growth hormones.
Answered by George Eustice
We are in regular contact with our European counterparts on sanitary and phytosanitary matters. We will not compromise on issues such as animal welfare and the standards of produce when we leave the EU. During both November 2016 and January 2017 Agriculture and Fish Council, the EU’s Free Trade Agreement negotiations were discussed, which included the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and considerations around food standards and beef containing growth hormones.