§ Mr. Frank Cookasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what standards exist and what physical controls are applied to ascertain whether any meats imported into the United Kingdom have been classified as unfit for human consumption in their country of origin; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. FennerIt is an offence under the Imported Food Regulations 1984 to import into England and Wales any food intended for human consumption which is unfit for human consumption or is unsound or unwholesome. In addition, the regulations implement Council directive 72/462/EEC (as amended) on health and veterinary inspection problems relating to the importation of fresh meat from third countries, Council directive 64/433/EEC (as amended) on health problems affecting intra-Community trade in fresh meat and Council directive 71/118/EEC (as amended) on health problems affecting trade in fresh poultrymeat. These directives require, inter alia, that fresh meat from domestic bovine animals including buffalo, swine, sheep and goats, solipeds and poultry exported for sale for human consumption must bear a health mark to indicate that it has been produced in an establishment which has been approved as meeting their hygiene and structural requirements. It is also a requirement that the consignment must be accompanied by a health certificate signed by the supervising official veterinarian stating that the meat was produced in accordance with the conditions specified in the relevant Directive and it is therefore considered to be fit for human314W consumption. Meat from species other than those covered by the directives is subject to national rules and my Department also requires such meat to be produced under corresponding conditions and to be health marked.
These regulations are enforced by the port health authorities who examine certificates and may exercise their discretionary powers to carry out a detailed inspection of the meat. Where, following an inspection, a port health authority considers that the meat contravenes the requirements of the regulations, that meat will either be destroyed, re-exported or disposed of in such a manner as to prevent its use for human consumption.
Parallel requirements apply under corresponding legislation in Scotland and Northern Ireland.