Thursday Volume 582 12 June 2014 No. 6 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 12 June 2014 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2014 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 671 12 JUNE 2014 672 However, we will examine method of slaughter labelling House of Commons when the European Commission produces its report, which is expected in the autumn. Thursday 12 June 2014 Albert Owen (Ynys Môn) (Lab): Farmers and food producers raise the issue of labelling often with me and The House met at half-past Nine o’clock other Members. Can the Minister assure the House that his Department is doing everything it can to have clear PRAYERS labelling on all packaging, particularly after the horsemeat crisis and various other issues, so that we can have country of origin and even region of origin labelling on [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] our packaging? BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS George Eustice: Some new labelling requirements from the European Union have just been put in place, to SPOLIATION ADVISORY PANEL distinguish between animals that are born, reared and Resolved, slaughtered in a particular country, reared and slaughtered That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, That there or simply slaughtered there. That is a major she will be graciously pleased to give directions that there be laid improvement. We have stopped short of having compulsory before this House a Return of the Report from Sir Donnell country of origin labelling on processed foods, because Deeny, Chairman of the Spoliation Advisory Panel, dated 12 June the European Commission report suggested that it would 2014, in respect of a painted wooden tablet, the Biccherna Panel, now in the possession of the British Library.—(John Penrose.) be incredibly expensive to implement. However, we do encourage voluntary labelling on such products, and there has been widespread uptake of that. Oral Answers to Questions Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con): I am sure my constituents in Kettering would want to see halal and kosher meat labelled as such. Although the Minister is a ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS good man, the response drafted for him by his Department was weak and pathetic. If we wait for the European The Secretary of State was asked— Commission to rule, we will have to wait for ever. If his objection is that there is no distinction between stunned Halal and Kosher Meat and non-stunned meat, why not label meat as such? Why cannot the UK do that ahead of the European 1. Philip Davies (Shipley) (Con): If he will ensure that Commission? all halal and kosher meat is labelled at point of sale. [904168] George Eustice: The advice we have received is that it would be better to introduce such regulation at European The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for level. A number of other countries have considered it, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (George Eustice): including Spain and France, and have run into difficulties. In the first instance, the Government believe that it is However, my hon. Friend makes a good point—if one for retailers and food outlets to provide their customers were to introduce compulsory method of slaughter with such information. However, the European Commission labelling, I think one would go not for labelling as halal is currently producing a study on options for compulsory or kosher, for the reasons I gave earlier, but for labelling method of slaughter labelling, and we will review the as stunned or unstunned. options when the report is published later this year. Philip Davies: The Minister is a good man, and I am Dangerous Dogs Strategy sure he must understand the strength of feeling among the public about this issue. Surely it is in the best 2. Ian Lavery (Wansbeck) (Lab): What recent steps he interests of everyone that halal and kosher meat be has taken to implement the Government’s strategy on properly labelled, for the benefit of those who particularly dangerous dogs; and if he will make a statement. want to buy it and those who particularly do not. [904169] Which consumers do the Government think will be disadvantaged by having meat fully and properly labelled at the point of sale? The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (George Eustice): George Eustice: I am aware of the strength of feeling On 13 May, new amendments to the Dangerous Dogs on the issue, and my hon. Friend has been a long-standing Act 1991 came into force, including higher sentences for campaigner on it, ever since his ten-minute rule Bill two dog attacks, an extension of the offence of a dog being years ago. There are two difficulties with the approach dangerously out of control to all places, including private he suggests. In the case of halal meat, we must remember places, and a specific offence for a dog attack on an that about 80% is stunned anyway, so “halal” does not assistance dog. distinguish between stunned and unstunned meat. When it comes to kosher meat, we should recall that the hind Ian Lavery: In my constituency there has been a spate quarters of the carcase are not deemed kosher anyway, of vicious dangerous dog attacks, the latest on an so an approach along the lines he suggests would not eight-year-old girl named Grace Lucas, who suffered help consumers who want to avoid unstunned meat. horrible injuries to her face. The real problems are a 673 Oral Answers12 JUNE 2014 Oral Answers 674 lack of education and, of course, irresponsible dog 14. [904185] Sheryll Murray (South East Cornwall) (Con): ownership. What are the Government doing to tackle Will my hon. Friend meet me and a representative from those important issues? Cornwall council to resolve funding for areas around my constituency that were damaged by floods and in George Eustice: The hon. Gentleman makes a good this year’s storms? point. Before I became a Minister, I followed the issue closely from the Back Benches. We are doing two things. Later this year we will introduce community protection Dan Rogerson: I will meet Cornwall council tomorrow notices, which will introduce new powers, for instance and we can discuss those issues. I do not know whether to issue orders to require an owner to keep their dog on my hon. Friend or a member of her staff will be there, a lead, muzzle their dog or put postbox guards on their but I will be happy to raise any local issues with the door. In extreme cases, there will be powers to insist on council so that we can work through them. a dog being neutered. I also agree with the hon. Gentleman about responsible dog ownership. That is why we are Barry Gardiner (Brent North) (Lab): In February, the clear that anybody who is breeding dogs for sale should Prime Minister promised that “money is no object” in have a licence. the Government’s response to the winter floods. Four months on, only £530,000 has been paid to farmers out Stephen Mosley (City of Chester) (Con): I recently of the supposed £10 million available in the farming attended a free Dogs Trust chipping event in Blacon in recovery fund, and only £2,320 has been paid to fishermen my constituency, and I noticed that a lot of people were out of the supposed £74,000 approved under the support unaware that it will be compulsory to have dogs chipped for fishermen fund. Why is that much-needed support in England from 2016, and Wales from 2015. What is not getting to the people it is supposed to be helping? the Minister doing to ensure that dog owners are aware that that will be compulsory from 2016? Dan Rogerson: I reassure the hon. Gentleman that George Eustice: That is an important point and we there is nothing “supposed” about those totals, and the must ensure that dog owners are aware of those proposals. money is there for people to bid for—the key question is We are working with veterinary practices across the encouraging people to do so. My hon. Friends and I, as country to ensure that they know about them and are well as agricultural shows, for example, continue to passing the information on to dog owners. We will also emphasise that people should apply for that money, and run a communications exercise in the press to raise the we have simplified the system. Many applications are issue. currently being processed, and I encourage all people eligible for those funds—whether farming, fishing or Flooding the other funds I have set out—to apply and make use of that money. 3. Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck (South Shields) (Lab): What steps the Government have taken to respond to Mr David Heath (Somerton and Frome) (LD): Somerset recent flooding. [904170] is no longer flooded and dredging has started, which is good news. The Minister will know that one of our key The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for asks is to have a sustainable future for maintenance, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Dan Rogerson): which involves setting up a Somerset rivers authority The Government have committed more than £560 million with its own revenue stream. Will the Minister update in support of those affected by the recent flooding. us on what progress has been made on that? That includes an extra £270 million to repair and maintain critical defences that were damaged in the winter storms, targeted help for households through the repair and Dan Rogerson: My hon.