§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all prosecutions of abattoirs for breaches of hygiene legislation that have(a) taken place and (b) succeeded, in each year since 1985. [21679]
§ Mr. Douglas HoggIn Great Britain, local authorities were responsible for the enforcement of hygiene regulations in abattoirs until 1 April 1995, when responsibility was transferred to the newly established Meat Hygiene Service. Information on any prosecutions of abattoirs which may have been brought between 1985 and 1 April 1995 is not held centrally. Since 1 April 1995, whilst there have been several prosecutions on BSE-related matters, there have, to date, been no prosecutions of abattoirs for failure to comply with the hygiene requirements of the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995, as amended.
In Northern Ireland, no prosecutions have been brought against operators of abattoirs for failure to comply with the hygiene requirements of the relevant regulations in the period 1985 to date.
§ Mrs. GoldingTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all those persons who are permitted to make unannounced visits to abattoirs in the United Kingdom to ensure that health and hygiene standards are upheld. [18866]
§ Mr. AingerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many slaughterhouses are currently operating in the United Kingdom; of those how many do not have EU approval but are operating under a United Kingdom Government derogation; and how many were operating in April 1995 and of those how many were operating under a United Kingdom derogation. [20517]
Full throughput Low throughput Licensed premises1 Slaughterhouse Cutting premises Slaughterhouse Cutting premises Total numbers by type 202 226 180 126 Of which subject to temporary derogation 222 313 7 47 1 Some of these are combined premises. For combined slaughterhouse/cutting premises the numbers are included under slaughterhouse, for combined cutting premises/cold stores the numbers are included under cutting premises. 2 Including one premises with an extension of time in principle to end December 1997 (subject to review in September 1997) and one request for a further extension of time under consideration; nine licences revoked for failure to comply with temporary derogations operating under appeal provisions. 3 Including one premises with an extension of time to end December 1997; three licences revoked for failure to comply with temporary derogations operating under appeal provisions. 4 Including one licence revoked for failure to comply with temporary derogation operating. Of those temporary derogations not subject to an extension of time or where licences have not yet been revoked, approximately half the premises could complete
954W
§ Mrs. Browning[holding answer 17 March 1997]: For slaughterhouses licensed in Great Britain under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 and in Northern Ireland under the Agricultural Produce (Meat Regulation and Pig Industry) Act (Northern Ireland) 1962, the available information is as follows:
Type of approval End March 1995 1 March 1997 Export approved National market only 133 244 Permanently derogated low throughput1 211 205 Temporarily derogated low throughput2 7 Temporarily derogated full throughput2 174 326 Total 518 482 Information on the position in other member states is not available. 1Premises which meet the EC structural requirements for low throughtput plants 2Premises subject to a temporary derogation from structural requirements 3Of which 9 licences revoked for failure to comply with temporary derogation but operating under appeal provisions.
§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many abattoirs are currently(a) EC approved and (b) non-approved but operating with a derogation. [20728]
§ Mrs. BrowningI refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Pembroke (Mr. Ainger) today.
§ Mr. PrenticeTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the derogations to continue slaughtering animals expire for each of the non-EC approved abattoirs. [20758]
§ Mrs. BrowningUnder the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 as amended, non EC export approved premises (permanently derogated low throughput) are required to meet less onerous structural requirements than those with EC export approval (full throughput).
At 1 March 1997, the number of slaughterhouses and cutting premises in England subject to a temporary derogation was as follows:
the necessary work to comply with the structural requirements of the Regulations within the next four to six weeks. Licence revocation action will be taken against 955W those who do not. For the remainder, urgent action is in hand to revoke the premises licences with the minimum of further delay.
§ Mr. PrenticeTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many abattoirs in each member state of the European Union are(a) EC approved and (b) non-approved but operating under derogations. [20833]
§ Mrs. Browning[holding answer 18 March 1997]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Pembroke (Mr. Ainger) today.
§ Mr. PrenticeTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the abattoirs and cutting plants which have derogations will be required to comply fully with EC requirements. [20832]
§ Mrs. Browning[holding answer 18 March 1997]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him today.
§ Mr. PrenticeTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many(a) unsuccessful and (b) successful prosecutions were brought against operators of abattoirs and cutting plants for infringements of the relevant hygiene regulations in the period 1979 to 1995. [20956]
§ Mrs. Browning[holding answer 18 March 1997]: In Great Britain, local authorities were responsible for the enforcement of hygiene regulations in abattoirs and cutting plants until 1 April 1995, when responsibility was transferred to the newly established Meat Hygiene Service. Information on prosecutions which may have been brought between 1979 and 1995 is not held centrally.
In Northern Ireland, no prosecutions were brought against operators of abattoirs or cutting plants for infringements of the relevant hygiene regulations in this period.
§ Mr. PrenticeTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the extent to which derogations granted to abattoirs for structural shortcomings impinge on hygiene requirements. [20830]
§ Mrs. Browning[holding answer 18 March 1997]: For premises operating under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995, detailed requirements for structure are laid down in schedules 1 to 6 of the regulations and, for hygiene, in schedules 7 to 11 and 13 to 15. Irrespective of any structural requirements, fresh meat produced in premises subject to derogations has to satisfy the hygiene requirements laid down.
§ Mr. PrenticeTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the(a) statutory instruments, (b) circulars and (c) other official guidance from Ministers to local authorities between 1979 and 1995 concerning the duties and responsibilities of environmental health officers towards abattoirs and cutting plants. [20831]
§ Mrs. Browning[holding answer 18 March 1997]: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.