§ Mr. Martenasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many full-time veterinary surgeons and poultry meat inspectors will be required by local authorities if EEC Directives 71/118 and 75/431 on poultry meat are implemented; and what is the estimated cost per annum.
§ Mr. StrangA full inspection service is unlikely to be required before August 1979 and there are several factors that may affect the number required. Our present estimate is that ultimately the equivalent of about 100 full-time veterinary surgeons and between 800 and 900 non-veterinary inspectors will be needed. We estimate the annual cost after August 1979, on the basis of current remuneration and overheads, to be of the order of £5½ million.
§ Mr. Martenasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated capital cost of re-equipping the poultry meat industry to comply with EEC Directives 71/118 and 75/431.
§ Mr. StrangSome plants have already been brought up to the EEC standard; others have made progress in that direction. The amount of work to be done varies from one plant to another and it is, therefore, difficult to make a firm estimate of costs. The British Poultry Federation has advised us that it estimates the capital cost of work yet to be done to be in the range of £8 million to £12 million.