Oral question asked in the House of Commons, by Roger Williams (Liberal Democrat). It was answered on Wednesday, 8 February 2012 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Meat Exports

Question: I draw the Committee’s attention to my declaration of an interest. I commend the Minister and the Department on that document, which will be very productive. There is a huge demand for protected geographical indication Welsh lamb throughout the world. Some trade barriers are a legacy of concerns about bovine spongiform encephalopathy from previous times. Will the Minister use the best efforts of our diplomatic service and other trade bodies to ensure that those barriers are taken down?

Answer: I can certainly give that undertaking. I and all Ministers readily accept the challenge of creating more growth in the agricultural sector, particularly in exports, but that is not unique to agriculture. The Government believe that exports are going to drive the country’s recovery, so all our overseas embassies and UK Trade & Investment are very much charged with stimulating business abroad. When there are particular barriers, such as historical concerns about BSE, the chief vet, I and others in DEFRA will tackle them head on. Approval was given to a chain of abattoirs to export pig meat to China only last week. Although that is not the lamb to which my hon. Friend refers, it is another example of how we are making progress.

Secondary information