§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action was taken against those companies which attempted to export meat or meat products which failed to comply with national legislation concerning specified risk material during the first quarter of 1998. [63142]
§ Mr. RookerThe Meat Hygiene Service, an Agency of MAFF, enforces the SRM controls on a day to day basis in licensed slaughterhouses and cutting plants. In all other premises approved under the SRM legislation, the controls are enforced by local authorities. In addition, the State Veterinary Service carries out regular unannounced independent audit visits to all premises approved under the legislation to monitor the extent of compliance. The inspection figures for the 12 month period to the end of October 1998 show that 4,096 visits were made to abattoirs in Great Britain. At 4,074 of these visits (99.5 per cent.), the handling and disposal of SRM were found to be fully satisfactory. No cases have been found of bovine spinal cord not being fully removed from carcases in licensed slaughterhouses in Great Britain since March 1996.
We are not aware of any attempts to export meat or meat products from which SRM has not been removed in accordance with the controls.