Meat Inspection Charges in EU Member States

HL Deb 18 October 1999 vol 605 cc99-100WA

The Earl of Kimberley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they propose to take any action to eliminate the price difference between European slaughterhouses and those in the United Kingdom. [HL4128]

Baroness Hayman

Following the publication recently by the Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC) of the results of its survey of meat inspection charges in other member states, the Government have sent copies of the MLC report to the European Commission in Brussels. In so doing the Government have again made clear their concerns over the lack of transparency in the charging arrangements applied in other member states and its doubts as to whether such charges are being set on a common basis throughout the European Union. The Government have therefore urged the European Commission to review as a matter of urgency the implementation of the relevant EU rules in all member states, and in particular to investigate the allegations of non-compliance in Italy and Spain which are set out in the MLC report.