§ 22. Mr. J. E. B. Hillasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to bring forward regulations prescribing standards for slaughterhouses under existing powers; and if he will now inform the House when he will introduce legislation to implement the Government's long-term policy for slaughterhouses.
§ Mr. GodberThe necessary regulations cannot be made under existing powers. My right hon. Friend proposes to seek additional powers in the legislation to which my hon. Friend refers; this will be introduced immediately time can be found in the Parliamentary programme. Meanwhile, as a guide to those planning to build or improve slaughterhouses, my right hon. Friend hopes shortly to publish drafts of regulations to prescribe certain of the proposed standards.
§ Mr. HillCan my hon. Friend confirm that between the promulgation of the forthcoming regulations and their enforcement reasonable time and opportunity will be allowed to make good any defects in existing slaughterhouses vis-í-vis the new regulations?
§ Mr. GodberI should think that there is no doubt about that. The whole thing will take us some time, and we have not yet even got to the legislation. I should say that there is no real danger there.
Mr. T. WilliamsIn view of the urgency of the problem, may I ask the hon. Gentleman whether he is fully appreciative of the tremendous losses to producers and/or the Treasury through a failure to make the maximum use of by-products from the utterly inadequate existing slaughterhouses?
§ Mr. GodberI fully agree that there is a great need to conserve the byproducts. We are very much alive to the problem, and hope to make some progress next Session.