§ Mr. TylerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what changes she has made to meat inspection at abattoirs regulations in the last month;
(2) what representations she has received on changes to meat inspection at abattoirs in the past month.
§ Mr. SoamesWe have made no changes in the last month to the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1992—SI 1992/2037—governing meat inspection in abattoirs, nor have we received any representations raising new concerns about meat inspection arrangements during this period.
The Government announced on 22 October a seven-point plan of deregulation in the meat industry. The plan signals a move to a less prescriptive system of meat hygiene enforcement while continuing to protect public health.
§ Mr. TylerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the rules for farmers' own use of slaughter of animals at small abattoirs.
§ Mr. SoamesThe Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1992—SI 1992/2037—do not apply to the slaughter in abattoirs of animals whose flesh is not intended for sale for human consumption. Animals slaughtered for a farmer's own use in a small abattoir will, therefore, not count towards any weekly throughput limit. The rules governing the slaughter of these animals in abattoirs are the same as those applicable to animals slaughtered on the farm: they must be slaughtered humanely, in accordance with the provisions of the Protection of Animals Act 1911, chapter 27, and, in the case of bovines, specified bovine offal must be disposed of in accordance with the Bovine Offal (Prohibition) Regulations 1989—SI 1989/2061 as amended by SIs 1990/2468 and 1992/306.