§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many people employed or under contract with the national Meat Hygiene Service as(a) official veterinary surgeons, (b) meat inspectors and (c) other officers have been disciplined for failure to enforce hygiene legislation, for each year from 1995; [21678]
(2) what length of training has been required for (a) official veterinary surgeons, (b) meat inspectors and (c) other posts that are currently within or under contract with the national Meat Hygiene Service in each year since 1985. [21680]
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe subjects of these questions are the responsibility of the Meat Hygiene Service and I have asked the chief executive to reply to you direct.
Letter from Johnston McNeill to Dr. Gavin Strang, dated 21 March 1997:
As Chief Executive of the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) your Parliamentary Questions to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries enquiring how many people employed or under contract with the National Meat Hygiene Service as (a) Official Veterinary Surgeons, (b) meat inspectors and (c) other officers have been disciplined for failure to enforce hygiene legislation, for each year since 1995, and what length of training has been required for (a) Official Veterinary Surgeons, (b) meat inspectors and (c) other posts that are currently within or under contract with the National Meat Hygiene Service in each year since 1985, have been passed to me for reply. [24678] [21680]961WNo employed or contract MHS staff were disciplined for failure to enforce hygiene legislation in 1995/96. 7 employed Meat Hygiene Inspectors are currently facing internal disciplinary investigation into alleged failure to enforce hygiene legislation. 6 of these are on precautionary paid suspension.As you are aware the MHS was launched on 1 April 1995. The MHS requires Official Veterinary Surgeons (OVSs) to be qualified veterinary surgeons, members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and to have gained OVS accreditation following attendance at an OVS training course. The OVS training course consists of one weeks college based training together with a practical input prior or post course attendance. Accreditation is approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.All Meat Hygiene Inspectors (MHIs) employed by the MHS must be qualified by gaining, through examination, the Certificate in Meat Inspection approved by the Royal Society of Health for England and Wales, and the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland for Scotland. The traditional route to acquisition of the certificate in meat inspection is on a day release basis over a two year period with a requirement of at least 200 hours practical experience for red meat and a further minimum of 120 hours for white meat. The Meat Hygiene Service has sponsored the training of Meat Hygiene Inspectors in accordance with the Royal Society of Health and the Royal Environmental Health Institute for Scotland requirements of typically 22 weeks of intense full time combined theoretical and practical training, the latter arranged in meat plants.Prior to the actual launch of the Agency, the MHS provided weekend induction and operational training for all groups of staff. Post launch numerous training courses have been delivered to veterinary and meat inspection staff on operational issues including animal welfare, hygiene assessment and Specified Bovine Material (SBM) controls.For other (mainly non operation) posts job specific training has been provided according to individual requirements.