To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when his Department first became aware of the alleged fraud on the mislabelling of eggs. (102599)

I cannot comment on the specifics of on-going criminal investigations. Defra's recent press release was issued when information suggested to us that the level of possible illegal marketing of eggs was such that the public and others with an interest should be informed. We took that action to allow those concerned in the marketing of eggs to satisfy themselves that consumers were not being misled by the labelling on the product they were buying.