§ Lord Hoosonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the annual cost, at the live animal and carcase stage, of meat inspections in this country.
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Trumpington)Local authorities (district councils in England and Wales) provide meat inspectors at abattoirs, cutting premises and cold stores within their districts. They recover the costs of inspection from the premises involved, subject to European Community rules on meat inspection charges. No central record is maintained of the cost of these inspections.