§ Lord O'HAGANasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are aware that the EEC refuses to recognise environmental health officers as being competent to undertake food inspection where intra-Community trade is concerned; and what action they propose.
The MINISTER of STATE, MINISTRY of AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES and FOOD (Earl Ferrers)While the Community Directives on fresh meat and poultry meat do not allow for supervision and certification of exports by environmental health officers, the Community has not yet taken a decision on responsibility for similar functions under the Meat Products Directive. When the Commission makes its proposals to the Council, following the review which it has carried out into environmental health officer qualifications, our aim will be to secure recognition that environmental health officers are qualified to carry out supervision and to provide public health certification of meat products which enter intra-Community trade. The Government's policy is to oppose any proposal, beyond the poultry meat or red meat slaughterhouse, to extend veterinary involvement in the duties which are now the responsibility of environmental health officers. My right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will be seeing representatives of the environmental health officers shortly and will be discussing these matters with them.
House adjourned at twenty-six minutes past nine o'clock.