Brown lifts beef-on-bone ban

30 November 1999



Brown lifts beef-on-bone ban

By Johann Tasker

AGRICULTURE minister Nick Brown has announced an end to the two-year-old controversial ban on beef on the bone.

Retail sales of T-bone steak are likely to resume on Friday, 17 December following a consultation by government officials, Mr Brown said today (Tuesday, 30 November).

“I am pleased to be able to announce the governments intention to lift the retail ban on beef on the bone,” he told MPs in the House of Commons.

The end to the ban follows further advice from the chief medical officers for England, Scotland and Wales who agree that beef on the bone is safe to eat.

“This includes on lifting the ban for food prepared for direct sales to consumers in restaurants and other catering establishments,” said Mr Brown.

But Mr Brown said that the chief medical officers had recommended that the ban would remain on beef bones used in food manufacturing.

“The ban on the use of bones for manufacturing food products, including infant foods, which lies at the extreme end of BSE protection measures, will remain.”

Mr Brown said the lifting of the ban had been long-awaited and he was delighted that it could now go ahead.

“The announcement will bring a welcome boost to the beef industry in what continues to be difficult times,” he said.