HC Deb 20 March 1997 vol 292 cc728-9W
Dr. Strang

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information(a) his Department and (b) the National Meat Hygiene Service provided to the European Commission concerning the survey carried out by environmental health officers in Birmingham of bone-in beef in butchers' shops. [21237]

Mr. Douglas Hogg

No information was provided to the European Commission by the Meat Hygiene Service. Information on the audit carried out by Birmingham environmental health department was included in the "Programme to Eradicate BSE in the United Kingdom" which was presented to the Commission at a Council meeting on 3 June 1996. A copy of this document was placed in the library of the House on 4 June 1996.

The audit was also referred to in the document "BSE in Great Britain, A Progress Report, May 1996" which has been sent to Commissioner Fischler. A copy of this document was placed in the Library of the House on 1 July 1996.

Dr. Strang

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the results of the survey carried out by environmental health officers of butchers' shops in Birmingham. [21236]

Mr. Hogg

I understand that the environmental services department of Birmingham city council carried out an audit in May 1996 of all 350 retail butcher outlets in Birmingham to check on compliance with specified bovine material controls. A small number of alleged cases of non-compliance were found.

Birmingham city council informed the Meat Hygiene Service, which is responsible for enforcing SBM controls in licensed beef slaughterhouses, of its findings. The MHS immediately carried out a full investigation. After examination of the samples provided to the MHS, two of the alleged cases were cleared as not being SBM. The MHS was unable to identify conclusively the nature of the remaining sample tissues in view of their age and deterioration. The MHS decided the most appropriate action was to destroy the material as if it were SBM.

In view of the council survey results, MHS principal official veterinary surgeons visited all the plants which traditionally supply the Birmingham market and reinforced the importance of full compliance with SBM controls to all MHS and plant staff.