Parliamentary Questions - Written Replies

AGRICULTURE: Gillian Shephard, the Minister of Agriculture, criticised an EC proposal on the definition of butter as 'unnecessarily elaborate' at Monday's Agriculture Council in Luxembourg, she said in a written reply. She also questioned a proposed directive on minced meat and other meat preparations. 'My main aim is to avoid excessively strict criteria that would put at risk traditional British products,' she said.

SCHOOLS: Between 1991 and 1992 the number of primary school children being taught in classes of more than 40 increased by 24 per cent, Eric Forth, Under-Secretary at Education, said.