Day 285 - 23 Oct 96 - Page 10

     
     1        of beef which they use in the States, for example, and we
     2        have heard something like their world usage, Dr. Gonzalez
     3        says, I think, was 0.61 percent by volume for beef used in
     4        the world.  I do not think we have got the figures for the
     5        USA, though it must be greater where half of their
     6        business is based.  But it must be remembered that Dr.
     7        Gonzalez also said they only use ten percent of a carcass,
     8        which means that something like six percent of all beef
     9        carcasses in the world some parts of that will go to
    10        McDonald's business, and they have very great interest in
    11        seeing the volume of beef production increased to ensure a
    12        continuous supply.  I have got the reference to Dr.
    13        Gonzalez.  I don't know if you made a note of that at the
    14        time about the... I have got it somewhere.
    15
    16   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   I may well have done.  What I have got is a
    17        summary of what I thought were the relevant parts of his
    18        evidence, but you had better give it to me at some stage
    19        in case I miss it.
    20
    MR. MORRIS:   I think, actually, I have got some references
    22        coming up later.  I have got, when I get strictly through
    23        the policy -----
    24
    25   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Keep going and maybe you will come back to
    26        it.
    27
    28   MR. MORRIS:   Yes.  Because their, because McDonald's, beef
    29        supply has to be continuous, it has to be reliable in the
    30        United States.  For example, in the United States is what
    31        I am kind of focusing on at the moment.  And it is
    32        growing, the volume they are using is growing.  If, as we
    33        have seen, there needs to be imports to satisfy demand
    34        effectively McDonald's are causing others in the States to
    35        use imported beef.  That is just a common sense point we
    36        would say.
    37
    38        On top of that, and I am going to go through this -- wait
    39        a minute.  (Pause) If their policy -- which I am going to
    40        come to next after this last point -- was credible, you
         would think that McDonald's would want to have a
    42        completely clear labelling system in the United States not
    43        only so that they could be sure they were not getting
    44        imported beef, and not have to since 1989, we would say,
    45        seek these ambiguous and transparently thin guarantees
    46        from their raw material suppliers, which they do not even,
    47        we would say...  We would say that what Dr. Gonzalez said
    48        about suppliers effectively was that would say anything
    49        for commercial gain if they thought they could get away
    50        with it.
    51
    52   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  May I make one point, because I think it 
    53        will help you to get through?  You have now made that
    54        point on a number of occasions.
    55
    56   MR. MORRIS:   I did not want it to be lost in this subheading.
    57
    58   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   Yes, if when you come to a point you can
    59        remember that you have mentioned that only yesterday or
    60        the day before, do not bother with it again.  I am taking