To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action he is taking to ensure the term cider brandy is retained and not renamed cider spirit in the draft EU regulations to replace the present EU Regulation 1576/89; and if he will make a statement. (158721)

[holding answer 16 October 2007]: DEFRA is aware that the term “cider brandy” is absent from the draft of the European Union regulation on spirit drinks. We are pressing the European Commission to find a pragmatic solution to this issue.