§ MR. ALDEN (Middlesex, Tottenham)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he could see his way to pay a few surprise visits to the chief manufactories of meat and food products throughout the metropolis.
§ The following Questions also stood on the Paper:—
§ MR. ALDENTo ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he will insist that, in the examinations conferring certificates on sanitary inspectors, some portion of the questions asked shall be on the subject of meat and food inspection, in order that every qualified inspector shall have a knowledge of this important subject.
§ MR. ALDENTo ask the President of the Local Government Board if he will grant a Return of the number of inspectors in England and Wales who hold a meat and food certificate, and are fully qualified to inspect all meat and food products.
§ MR. ALDENTo ask the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware of the differences in method of the meat and food inspection under the various local sanitary authorities in London; and whether he will issue a circular to such authorities, recommending one uniform system of inspection throughout the whole of London and the extra metropolitan boroughs.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. JOHN BURNS,) BatterseaPerhaps I may be 653 allowed to answer this and the three following Questions together. As to the first, I do not think that any intimation that surprise visits would be paid to the chief manufactories of meat and food products in London would be likely to answer the object which my hon. friend has in view. As to the second, the subject of meat and food inspection is one of those upon which candidates for certificates from the Sanitary Inspectors Examination Board and the Royal Sanitary Institute are examined at the present time. The latter body have also a special examination on the subject. As regards the third Question, I would refer my hon. friend to the Return No. 326 which was obtained in 1904 by the hon. Member for the St. Patrick's Division of Dublin, and which gives the particulars he desires as respects London and certain large towns. To obtain a Return for the whole country would involve much labour and expense. As regards his last Question, I may state that I am aware of the differences in method of the meat and food inspection therein referred to. I do not think that at the present time advantage would be likely to result from a circular of the hind suggested, but I am considering whether, when some further information has been obtained, a conference of the local authorities specially concerned might not usefully be convened with a view to uniformity of action in this matter.