HL Deb 22 August 1907 vol 181 cc1063-6
* LORD ALLENDALE

I do not propose to detain your Lordships long at this time of the night. This Bill is a short Bill, but it is an important Bill. As your Lordships are aware, there have been already Acts passed relating to Public Health which give powers to Public Health Officers to examine meat and other articles of food exposed for the purposes of sale or the preparation for sale, and intended as food for human consumption. The object of this Bill is to extend these provisions for more adequately protecting public health, especially as regards imported foods. Public attention has been drawn to the need for further provision on this subject by the disclosures which your Lordships are aware have recently been made regarding the insanitary conditions in the packing yards both at Chicago and elsewhere in the United States of America, and as to the inadequacy of the supervision which is exercised. The amount of canned and other meat which is annually imported from the United States of America is very large and is continually growing. It is most important in connection with the public health that there should be adequate power to deal with this matter. Of late years questions of risk to health from particular foods have Come much more prominently than before under the notice of the Local Government Board by reports that have been made by regular inspectors and by medical officers as to the very unhealthy and in some cases I may say the very filthy conditions under which food for human consumption is prepared. I could quote extracts from newspaper reports and other reports which have reached the Local Government Board — I have any number here—to prove what I have already indicated, but I will not detain your Lordships at this time of night by doing so. These newspaper cuttings and reports of convictions show that the evil is really very widespread, and this Bill, if your Lordships will give it a Second Reading and pass it through all its stages, will enable the Board to make regulations to prevent danger to public health both from the importation, preparation and storage, and distribution of articles of food and drink intended for sale for human consumption. This Bill contains what I know is considered objectionable legislation, I mean legislation by reference, but regulations are already made under The Public Health Act of 1896 and other enactments mentioned in that Act. Regulations are to be made under the Public Health Act of 1896 and other enactments, 130 and 134 of the Public Health Act, 1875, and this is extended to London by the Public Health Act (London) 1891. I may just say that objection was taken before the Standing Committee in another place that regulations might possibly be made by the Local Government Board without those concerned in the trade being made aware of the existence of these orders or having sufficient notice, but a clause has been put in, Clause 2, for the purpose of meeting this objection, and these regulations I may say will also be laid before the public and published in theLondon Gazette at least forty days before they are made. All those concerned will, therefore, have ample opportunity of making themselves familiar with the regulations. On the Third Reading of this Bill in the House of Commons the President of the Local Government Board assured the House that regulations in pursuance of the Bill would be carefully drawn up after due consideration of all interests affected. I will not go further into the question at this time of night. It is, your Lordships will agree, a great and important matter that there should be at any rate protection to the public in this matter, and I ask your Lordships to give the Bill a Second Reading.

Moved, "That the Bill be now read 2a."—(Lord Allendale.)

* THE EARL OF ONSLOW

This Bill is one which confers very extensive powers upon the Local Government Board, and I am one of those who think that we must to a great extent trust our Government Departments that they will not abuse the powers, often very extensive ones, which are conferred upon them by Parliament. At the present time your Lordships are aware we can only touch articles which are offered for consumption as food when they are exposed for sale. I understand that there are large quantities of goods which from time to time have been in the possession of those who intended to sell them, but who were not exposing them at the time for sale, and that therefore they could not be touched. The object of this Bill is to enable the Local Government Board to make regulations for the purpose of controlling the sale, and, if necessary, destroying those articles which ultimately are intended for human food if they are not fit for that purpose. I am sure that is an object with which all your Lordships will sympathise. When I look at the provisions of this Bill, however, I begin to wonder why the President of the Board of Agriculture brought in a Bill for the regulation of butter substitutes. It seems to me that all the powers which the noble Earl seeks by that Bill will be conferred upon the Local Government Board by this Bill, and that it supersedes the measure to which your Lordships' attention was called a very short time ago. My object in rising is not to raise any objection to the passing of this Bill, but merely to ask that we may have an assurance that, if your Lordships give the Second Reading and pass it to-night, the promise made in another place by the President of the Local Government Board will be fulfilled, and that the regulations drawn up by the Board will be moderate in their character and not calculated in any way to annoy honest and straightforward tradesmen who desire only to deal with the public in a straightforward manner in the sale of articles of food.

THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL(The Earl of CREWE)

With regard to what has fallen from the noble Earl, I have no hesitation in repeating the assurance given by my right hon. friend in another place. If the objects of this Bill are to be carried out at all, it is obvious a very large discretion must be given to the Local Government Board. Otherwise, the thing could not be in any way operative. It certainly is not the desire of the Department to press hardly upon any class of persons, and I am quite certain that my right hon. friend will take every possible precaution to prevent the regulations of his Department doing so.

THE EARL OF PLYMOUTH

I only want to say that I think it is a very good thing that the President of the Local Government Board has taken up this very important subject of the importation of food into this country. It is not only of great importance to us that the food for sale should be carefully inspected, but I think it is very advisable that precautions should be taken not to allow into this country food of various sorts which is treated very often in a disgusting and most insanitary way. The other day an instance came before me of the importation from Italy of vegetable stuffs which had been known in Italy to be grown in a most insanitary way. I hope that such questions will receive the attention of the Local Government Board and that means may be found for protecting the people of this country from the importation of foodstuffs which are not properly grown or properly looked after in the country from which they come.

Bill read 2a (according to order), and committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.