§ MR. GEORGE ROBERTS (Norwich)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board what amount of boneless scrap meat was imported into this country during the year 1907, from the United States, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada respectively; what precautions are taken to detect disease in the animals from which the meat is derived or to provide against unwholesome conditions of handling, chemical treatment, and packing in the countries of origin; and whether this meat is inspected after the process of thawing upon arrival in this country, so as to prevent decomposed meat passing into the possession of manufacturers.
§ MR. JOHN BURNSImports of boneless scrap meat are not specially distinguished by the Board of Customs, and hence the amount imported cannot be definitely stated. Some information on the subject and also as to the methods of inspection in the countries of origin will, however, be found in the Report made to the Local Government Board by Dr. Buchanan on Certain Imported Meat Foods of Questionable Whole someness, a copy of which I will send to my hon friend. Thawing mostly takes place after the meat has reached its destination in small shops, sausage factories, etc., and in these circumstances it is not practicable to make 1719 sufficiently frequent inspections to prevent the use of unwholesome meat. Looking to these and other considerations, I have caused Regulations to be prepared with the object of preventing the importation of meat in the form of scraps which cannot readily be identified with definite parts of the carcase.