§ Mr. Markhamasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, in view of the fact that the Ministry, by proposing to purchase fat stock and slaughter them for food, will be the owners of meat intended for human consumption and responsible, under the Public Health Acts and the Food and Drugs Act, 1938, that such food is fit for human consumption, what steps he is taking to ensure that animals sent for slaughter are submitted to ante-mortem inspection to control disease and that meat prepared for sale for human consumption is efficiently inspected to safeguard public health; and what steps he is taking to conserve in the national interest carcase by-products and meat judged unfit for human consumption?
§ Mr. W. S. MorrisonAs regards ante-mortem inspection to control disease of animals sent for slaughter, the intention is to utilise the existing inspection services. As regards the inspection of meat that will be prepared for sale at the wholesale meat distribution depots provided for under the control scheme, I am in communication with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health, with a view to the services of the meat inspectorate of the local authorities continuing to be available for this purpose. Steps are also being taken to ensure the prompt disposal of all carcase by-products (other than those sold by retail butchers) and meat judged unfit for human consumption, to the various trades at present handling such products; the latter will be disposed of under guarantees against the meat being used for human consumption.