§ Mr. Norwoodasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now make a statement on the payment of costs for the inspection of slaughtered meat.
§ Mr. PeartMy right hon. Friend the Minister of Health and I have today jointly laid the Meat Inspection (Amendment)32W Regulations, 1966, which will come into effect on 30th September. They will empower local authorities, after consultation with the users of private slaughterhouses, and subject to a right of appeal to me, to regulate the hours during which slaughter may take place. The removal of uninspected meat from slaughterhouses will cease to be allowed on 31st October. There will be no change in the arrangements for charging for inspection.
At the same time my veterinary officers' advisory service to local authorities will be intensified with a view to helping the authorities to play their part in the development of uniform high standards of meat inspection.