THE UK will "insist" other EU countries meet food welfare standards when they are made compulsory across member states in 2013, Gordon Brown said yesterday.

This week, a parliamentary report found UK farmers had been left at a "serious disadvantage" by the decision to ban the use of stalls and tethers on pig farms in 1999 – 14 years ahead of changes for the rest of the EU.

However, the Prime Minister praised the farmers who he said had "set the standard" in compassionate pork by adopting the measures ahead of time.

The report from the environment, food and rural affairs committee also called for better labelling of pork products to ensure consumers are aware if they are buying meat from abroad – two-thirds of which is reared in conditions which would be illegal in the UK.

This was seized upon during Prime Minister's question time by Tory MP Richard Bacon – a long-standing campaigner on the issue. He said 70 per cent of imported pork is "produced to animal welfare standards that would be unlawful in this country".

"Given the Environment Secretary's recent comments that we need clearer food labelling, do you agree that now is the time for compulsory country of origin labelling to give a fair deal to British consumers, British farmers and British meat?" he asked.

Mr Brown said Defra was in discussions with "all parties" on the issue.

"We want an agreed set of voluntary criteria which will allow consumers to make informed choices and support our farmers," Mr Brown said.

"I believe that UK producers have set the standard for compassionate pig meat production when we introduced new welfare standards, but all EU member states must be compliant with the new EU legislation and we will insist that standards be met."