To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on schemes which promote industry-wide production systems in (a) agriculture and (b) horticulture to demonstrate the safety and traceability of the food produced. [80244]

Industry-wide assurance schemes which go beyond statutory requirements are for the industry to take forward in light of their assessment of prevailing market conditions. I welcome the development of these assurance schemes because they can help provide the consumer with confidence in the integrity of the product.