asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will take steps to ban the import of pâté de foie gras in view of the suffering caused to geese in the process of artificially enlarging their liver.

I do not consider this to be justified. I have received veterinary advice to the effect that the enlargement of the liver of geese fed for pâté de foie gras production does not involve any pathological change in the liver or cause suffering.