HC Deb 06 February 1989 vol 146 cc575-6W
Dr. David Clark

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of man years of his staff involved in poultry meat inspection in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Donald Thompson

Meat inspection is the responsibility of local authorities. Officers from my Department visit all slaughter premises to advise on hygiene and welfare standards. The manpower involved for poultry slaughter premises, in the years for which figures are available, was of the order of:

Man years
1983–84 8.5
1984–85 8.5
1985–86 9.1
1986–87 7.7
1987–88 7.1
Information for earlier years was not recorded.