To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what inspections take place of beef landed at United Kingdom ports from the Republic of Ireland for onward shipment to the continent; and if he will make a statement.

Animal and public health checks on beef landed at United Kingdom ports from the Republic of Ireland are the same whether the beef is intended for consumption in the United Kingdom or for onward shipment to the continent. Two types of checks are involved: checking of the necessary health certificates against the import documentation is carried out by Customs officers in all cases and physical checking of the meat is carried out on sample consignments by the port health authorities.Beef entering the United Kingdom for onward shipping to the continent is not eligible for payments of beef variable premium, hence no inspections for this purpose are carried out.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action is taken to ensure that beef landed at United Kingdom ports from the Republic of Ireland for onward shipment to the continent is not subsequently sold in the United Kingdom.

Goods in transit are subject to control by the country of export. The authorities in that country must be furnished with proof that the goods have reached their intended destination and are not diverted elsewhere. Moreover, beef sent from the Republic of Ireland to the United Kingdom in transit would not benefit from the United Kingdom mca or the beef variable premium. These taken together contribute a significant disincentive to diversion.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about the labelling of imported beef which has been produced with the aid of hormones; and if he will make a statement.

No such representations have been received.