§ Mr. Scott-Hopkinsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in the submission and acceptance of local authorities' 98W slaughterhouse reports under Section 3 of the Slaughterhouses Act, 1958; and what information the reports have provided.
§ Mr. Soames:1,392 local authorities have submitted their reports. The remaining 37 have been allowed extensions of time, in no case beyond the end of April, 1961. 539 reports have been accepted. 80 per cent. of those so far submitted provide for full compliance with the new standards of hygiene and humane slaughter by the end of 1961 and under 4 per cent. envisage its being reached after 1962. The number of slaughterhouses is likely to fall by over 30 per cent.