§ Mr. Shepherdasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects there will be an adequate supply of trained poultry meat inspectors to enable the proper implementation of the Poultry Meat (Hygiene) Regulations; and whether it is his intention to seek Government assistance towards the cost of their training.
§ Mr. StrangDiscussions are continuing with interested organisations to secure a planned and phased introduction of poultrymeat inspection over the period to 15th August 1979 permitted by the regulations. A sufficient number of trained poultrymeat inspectors should become available by the end of this period.
As I told the House on 2nd November 1976—[Vol. 918, c. 1361]—the Training Services Agency will allocate financial resources to assist local authorities with the cost of training poultrymeat inspectors recruited between September 1976 and 31st March 1978.