§ 15. Mr. Bossomasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps the Government are taking to ensure that there is an adequate supply of qualified meat inspectors, in view of the fact that he is arranging for a 100 per cent. meat inspection.
§ Mr. SoamesLocal authorities are responsible for providing the inspectors for meat inspection. But the special provisions covering the first two years of the new arrangements, to which I referred in my reply on 15th July, will allow meat to be taken away if it has not been inspected after six hours. Local authorities will have to notify us each time this, is likely to happen, and we shall then be able to offer the services of one of our veterinary officers, wherever possible. We shall also in this way get to know of any problems, so that we can co-operate in solving them.
§ Mr. BossomTo help overworked meat inspectors of small local authorities, can my right hon. Friend look into the possibility of limiting the hours of slaughtering to set times?
§ Mr. SoamesWe have already considered that. This suggestion was mooted during our discussions with both local authorities and the trade and we reached the conclusion that to do that would interfere too much with the traditional trade.
§ Mr. C. RoyleCan the Minister give an assurance that his new regulations will produce 100 per cent. inspection?
§ Mr. SoamesThat is the aim, which, I know, is shared by the trade as much 1038 as by us. I am convinced that unless we have regulations of this sort, we shall never reach a figure of 100 per cent. I believe that we have got to have this two years' delay, but I expect to see considerable improvement on the figure of 90 per cent. shortly after the regulations come into effect. It is our hope that at the end of the two years we shall have 100 per cent. inspection.