§ Mr. Peter AtkinsonTo ask the Minister what representations he has received about the Meat Hygiene Service's proposed charges and if he will make a statement. [175001]
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe chief executive has kept me fully informed of the progress of consultation on the Meat Hygiene Service's proposed charges for 1995–96, and of the industry's request for some short-term assistance to facilitate the transition to the new system.
While I cannot take final decisions until the statutory consultation exercise has been completed in mid-April, I am minded to make available transitional assistance to allow the MHS to offer a rebate on its hourly rate for meat inspectors of £2 per hour for the first six months of 1995–96 and £1 per hour for the second six months, and 652W to set a ceiling on the official veterinary surgeon hourly rate of £35 per hour.
In making any such rebates, the MHS would need to observe the requirements of the European legislation which prohibits subsidisation of inspection charges below the level of the Community standard charge.
I will shortly be publishing performance targets for the MHS which are designed to ensure that the chief executive maximises efficiency and minimises costs. The MHS will be expected to recover the full economic cost of its chargeable services from the industry from 1996–97 onwards.