§ 8. Mr. Norwoodasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce legislation to make the fees payable for inspection of slaughtered meat a charge upon the Revenue and not one which falls upon butchers.
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. John Mackie)Our proposals for the amendment of the Meat Inspection Regulations, 1963, do not include any change in the financial arrangements. My right hon. Friend hopes to make a statement shortly.
§ Mr. NorwoodWould not my hon. Friend agree that the arguments used by his colleague in 1963 when this matter was under discussion are equally compelling now? Since it is a national scheme, as he said at the time, it should be a national responsibility.
§ Mr. MackieThe total amount which meat inspection puts on a pound of meat is less than a tenth of a penny. I do not think that the public objects to paying for the aesthetic and health value of meat inspection.