§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the European Commission's proposal to require the full recovery of meat hygiene inspection charges from abattoirs and to make all abattoirs enforce new measures for the disposal of blood. [89615]
§ Margaret BeckettThe Commission has not yet made proposals on charges to abattoirs for health inspections but we have made plain our preference for the existing structure and levels of meat hygiene charges. With respect to disposal of blood, officials are working with industry representatives to achieve satisfactory outcomes both in terms of regulatory requirements and the ability of industry to change existing practices at minimum cost and disruption.