§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has had to merge the role of vets and meat inspectors on overseeing the slaughter of animals. [132890]
§ Ms StuartI have been asked to reply.
We have received no proposals to merge the role of Official Veterinary Surgeons (OVSs) and meat inspectors in overseeing the slaughtering of animals. The Food Standards Agency advises me, however, that the Report of the Meat Industry Red Tape Working Group (the Pooley Report) recommended that discussions should be held with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons about the feasibility of providing appropriate training to enable non veterinarians to carry out some work done by OVSs. These have taken place and it has been concluded that further consideration should be postponed until the future arrangements for meat inspection under the Commission's recent food hygiene proposal are clearer. The Pooley Report also recommended that where economically beneficial to the plant (mainly small, isolated premises), the OVS should undertake the post mortem inspection of carcases. This has been implemented.
RSC performance data for financial year 1999–20001 Target area Percentage Arable Area Payments Scheme Main payments 99 Oilseeds Non-food payments 97 Advanced payments 99 Final payments 99 Beef Special Premium Scheme Advance payments (1999) 97 Balance payments (1998) 99 CID applications issued (1999) 99 Premium paid CIDs issued (1999) 99 Suckler Cow Premium Scheme Balance payments 1998 99 Advance payments 1999 99 Sheep Annual Premium Scheme Claims marketing year 1999 99 Environmentally Sensitive Areas Applications 90 Claims 98 Environmentally Sensitive Areas Applications 77 Conservation Plan Claims 93 Farm and Conservation Grant Scheme 1991 Plan Claims 78 Farm Woodland Premium Applications 90 Scheme Claims (1999) 81 Injurious Weeds Complaints receiving a response within 15 working days 95 New Nitrate Sensitive Areas Scheme Claims (1999) 98 Protection of Badgers Act 1992 Licence applications 97