§ Mr. Peter Millsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what is the number of slaughterhouses that have facilities for tricinoscopic examination for pigs;
(2) what is the number of slaughterhouses that have adequate showers for workers;
(3) what is the number of slaughterhouses that have fittings to allow supervision of entries and exits;
(4) what is the number of slaughterhouses that have washbasins that are foot operated;
(5) what is the number of slaughterhouses that still have wooden chopping blocks;
(6) what is the number of slaughterhouses which have water of 82 deg. centigrade for sterilisation of equipment;
(7) what is the number of slaughterhouses which have adequate refrigerated premises;
(8) what is the number of slaughterhouses which have separate accommodation for fats and hides, respectively;
(9) what is the number of slaughterhouses which have facilities for disinfection of vehicles;
(10) what is the number of slaughterhouses which have separate accommodation for veterinary surgeons;
(11) what is the number of slaughterhouses which have a separate casualty slaughterhall;
(12) what is the number of slaughterhouses which have separate pig slaughter facilities;
110W(13) what is the number of slaughterhouses which have adequate lairage with lockable isolation pens;
(14) what is the number of slaughterhouses which have adequate natural coloured light;
(15) what is the number of slaughterhouses which have separate storage for isolation of suspect meat which is lockable.
§ Mr.. Anthony StodartI regret that the detailed information requested is not available in respect of all slaughterhouses. Wooden chopping blocks are widely used in Great Britain, but they may not be used in slaughterhouses exporting to E.E.C. countries. Trichinoscopic examination can be required at the discretion of the importing country, but there is little call for it at the moment: only Italy asks for it. No slaughterhouse has such equipment.
All of the 54 slaughterhouses in Great Britain which have been approved for export in general have the necessary equipment or are in the course of providing it, and there are many of our other larger slaughterhouses which either already have or easily could provide a number of these facilities, but in particular the separation of pig slaughter often presents difficulty. It is usually expensive and in some cases impracticable.
§ Mr. Peter Millsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to give encouragement and help to bring slaughterhouses in the United Kingdom up to European Economic Community export standard.
§ Mr. Anthony StodartWe have no evidence that the provision of export facilities at slaughterhouses is at present inadequate to meet the needs of the trade. We intend, however, to keep the position under review, particularly in relation to the new situation which will arise within an enlarged E.E.C.