Day 061 - 05 Dec 94 - Page 73
1 McDonald's in the US?
2 A. No. That is an International Product Specification.
3 We work off the same Specifications internationally as the
4 US does.
5
6 Q. So how do you know the sources of your beef if you do not
7 have any specification for saying that the abattoir that
8 supply McKey's should document the source of where the beef
9 comes from?
10 A. Well, all the beef slaughtered in the UK has to
11 originate in the UK or the European Union, but usually the
12 UK. There is not much coming from the European Union.
13
14 Q. There is some, is there not?
15 A. There is some.
16
17 Q. There is some from Ireland and there is some from France.
18
19 MR. JUSTICE BELL: He said not much?
20 A. It is a small percentage.
21
22 MR. MORRIS: 10 per cent or something?
23 A. No, it is probably more than that but it less than 20.
24
25 Q. Between 10 and 20 per cent which, in terms of beef, the
26 world's largest user of beef, it is still quite a lot of
27 beef?
28
29 MR. RAMPTON: My Lord, what is point of this, may I ask? As far
30 as I know, there is no rainforest in Europe.
31
32 MR. MORRIS: Hang on a second. For a start, the European Union,
33 as you describe, there is no specification that that beef
34 should be reared in Europe, is there, because there are EC
35 approved abattoirs, in fact, outside Europe, are there not?
36 A. There is no way you could bring beef into Europe
37 without paying a substantial levy, even if there was a
38 quota to allow you to do that.
39
40 Q. But beef is brought into Europe all the time, is it not?
41 A. On a small quota basis, yes, against a cost of a
42 substantial levy.
43
44 Q. It might be a good time to stop.
45
46 MR. RAMPTON: My Lord, Mr. Van Erp is due tomorrow. I can see
47 that Mr. Oakley will not finish very soon. He could have
48 done it an hour or so tomorrow but the trouble is he is due
49 in Ireland almost after lunch for a meeting. So, it is a
50 matter for your Lordship, but I would invite your Lordship
51 simply to say he should come back when he is able to do so
52 and when it is convenient to the court.
53
54 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I want to suit the convenience of witnesses
55 as much as possible, but how much longer have you got, do
56 you think, to complete your cross-examination of
57 Mr. Oakley?
58
59 MS. STEEL: We are not really sure. There is nutrition left.
60 I think half a day at least and I do not think longer than
