HC Deb 20 April 1998 vol 310 cc490-1W
Mr. Nicholls

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at which ports since 1 May 1997 checks have been carried out into the quality of imported consignments of meat; what proportion of those checks have involved inspections of (i) the meat, (ii) the documentation and (iii) both; what assessment he has made of the value of checks involving(a) meat and (b) documentation; and if he will make a statement. [38580]

Mr. Rooker

The following table records the number of checks carried out at Border Inspection Posts in the UK on consignments of meat and meat products imported from countries outside the EU. So far as meat from other Member States is concerned, single market rules provide only for random, non-discriminatory checks at destination, not at ports of entry.

Checks on meat and meat products imports from third countries 1 May 1997 to 28 February 1998
Port of entry Number of consignments Number of documentary checks Number of identity checks Number of physical checks
Cardiff 1 1 1 1
Tyne 5 5 0 0
Aberdeen 1 1 1 1
Dover 2 2 2 2
Total 10,914 10,914 1,579 1,556

Forward to