HC Deb 05 March 1956 vol 549 cc1686-7
12. Mr. Chapman

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many visits were paid by his inspectors, in 1955, to knackeries and horse-slaughterhouses; what proportion of the licensed premises this constitutes; and what visit has been paid to, and what orders have been made concerning, a slaughterhouse in London, N.15, the name of which has been supplied to him.

Mr. Amory

Forty-four visits were made to knackers' yards and ten to horse-slaughterhouses. There are I understand now only about twenty-five slaughterhouses used for horses and very few knackers' yards in which horses are slaughtered in appreciable numbers. The particular slaughterhouse in question was visited on 3rd January, 1956, by an officer of my Department. He found a number of defects, which he pointed out to the local authority concerned. I am informed by the local authority that the manager of the premises has already remedied some of these and has promised to remedy the others.

Mr. Chapman

But is not this a notorious slaughterhouse which was unfavourably commented upon by the Northumberland Committee as long ago as 1950? Is the Minister going to wink at these continued contraventions of the law? Is it not time that we had one really good prosecution in respect of some notorious slaughterhouse like this, which would lead to the rest being cleaned up overnight?

Mr. Amory

It is open to anyone to institute proceedings. As to the hon. Member's statement that this is a notoriously bad slaughterhouse, I will look into that point.