§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food from which countries raw offal is imported; what checks are made to ensure that it is free from contamination and infection; and for what purposes such imports are allowed. [154991]
§ Ms Quin[holding answer 22 March 2001]: EU rules permit imports of raw offal for direct sale to the consumer or for the manufacture of meat-based products for both human and animal consumption, from the following third countries:
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- Argentina
- Australia
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Croatia
- Chile
- Czech Republic
- Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
- Greenland
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Mexico
- New Zealand
- Paraguay
- Poland
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- United States of America
- Uruguay
- Switzerland
- Yugoslavia.
Imported offal, like imported meat, must have been produced to EU standards and must be accompanied by appropriate animal and public health certification. Among other things, this health certification confirms that the meat is derived from animals which have been subjected to ante-mortem inspection during 24 hours prior to slaughter. On arrival in the UK, meat imported from third countries must enter at designated Border Inspection Posts (BIPs), where it is subject to veterinary inspection.
All consignments are subject to documentary and identity checks and at least 20 per cent. of consignments are subject to physical checks in accordance with EU legislation, which may include analysis for contaminants. These checks are to ensure that conditions of import have been complied with and that the products have remained in a satisfactory condition during transport. They are carried out by Official Veterinary Surgeons employed by the local authority in which the BIP is located.
Community legislation allows the importation of raw offal from FMD control areas in Argentina under special channelling procedures. These procedures require that the material be sent from the port of entry in sealed transport direct to an establishment that has been specifically approved by the competent authority of the member state of destination. It must be accompanied by relevant public and animal and public health certification. The material may be used only for the manufacture of fully cooked meat products. Domestic legislation in England and Wales currently prohibits the import of meat including offal from South Africa and Swaziland (since 5 January 2001), Argentina (since 14 March) and Uruguay (since 26 April). Scotland and Northern Ireland took similar action for each of these countries shortly after each of the dates specified.