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Livestock Markets

Volume 406: debated on Tuesday 3 June 2003

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To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proposals she has for the protection and promotion of small-scale local livestock markets in England and Wales. [113374]

We are working with the Red Meat Industry Forum to improve the competitiveness of all the players in the red meat supply chain under the Forum"s Ten Point Action Plan which includes the marketing of animals through the auction system. In recognition of the importance of auction markets in the marketing of livestock and their role in the rural economy we continue to liaise closely with industry representatives with a view to retaining a system in which operators of auction market enterprises can continue to make commercial judgments and decisions for the benefit of their businesses and the livestock industry.