§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the criteria that slaughterhouses have to meet for approval for exporting meat to other European Community countries; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonFor the requirements applying to red meat slaughterhouses I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on Wednesday 1 February(Official Report, columns 240–41) to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins).
All licensed poultry slaughterhouses must comply with the provisions of the Poultry Meat (Hygiene) Regulations 1976, as amended. The regulations implement EC directive 71/118, as amended, on health problems affecting trade in fresh poultry meat. Plants which engage in intraCommunity trade may not take advantage of certain derogations permitted by the regulations and the directive for plants producing for the domestic market only.