HC Deb 17 November 1998 vol 319 cc576-8W
Mr. Yeo

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will publish comparisons of the extent to which the United Kingdom and other EU countries use(a) veterinary surgeons and (b) meat inspectors in the public health inspection of the meat slaughter process; [58449]

(2) if he will publish comparisons of the different qualifications for (a) meat inspectors and (b) veterinarians involved in meat inspection in Britain and other EU countries. [58450]

Mr. Nick Brown

Harmonised EC meat hygiene rules, which apply equally in all EU Member States, lay down detailed and specific requirements for the supervision of licensed abattoirs by official veterinarians (ie fully qualified veterinary surgeons). The rules also specify the duties and responsibilities of such official veterinarians, including in respect of ante mortem and post mortem veterinary inspections. Council Directive 78/1026/EEC provides for the mutual recognition of the qualifications of veterinarians applying in different EU Member States.

The meat hygiene rules also provide for official veterinarians to be assisted in the performance of certain, specified, tasks by 'auxiliaries' whose qualifications must comply with the minimum qualifications laid down. In Great Britain the role of such 'auxiliaries' is performed by MHS Meat Hygiene Inspectors. My Department has no information on the qualifications of 'auxiliaries' employed on meat hygiene work in other EU Member States.

Information obtained by my Department recently about the implementation in other Member States of the veterinary supervision requirements laid down in EC meat hygiene rules shows that supervision levels and frequencies vary between States as one would expect. It does not support the claim that supervision levels in Great Britain premises are significantly higher then in other member States. I have arranged for this information to be placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Yeo

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish comparisons of the proportion of farm gate prices for meat in the United Kingdom and other EU countries that results from meat inspection. [58451]

Mr. Nick Brown

The information requested is not available.

Mr. Yeo

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish comparisons of the quality and cost of meat hygiene standards across the EU. [58448]

Mr. Nick Brown

Information about the quality and costs of enforcing meat hygiene standards in Great Britain is set out in the Annual Report and Accounts of the Meat Hygiene Service.

It is the European Commission's responsibility to ensure that Member States comply with their Community obligations as laid down in harmonised EC rules. The Commission's Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) carries out regular programmes of inspection visits to all Member States. If necessary, the Commission will take infraction proceedings against those Member States whose arrangements are considered inadequate. Reports of FVO visits are published on the Commission's website on the Internet (http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg24/health/vi/reports) and a list of such reports will appear in MAFF's Meat Hygiene Enforcement Report and BSE Enforcement Bulletin, both of which are published monthly.

Mr. Yeo

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to review the impact of the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 within one year of its implementation date. [58237]

Mr. Nick Brown

In common with all legislation, we will keep the impact of the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 under review.

Mr. Yeo

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what assessment he has made of the differences between the methods of implementing the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 in different EU countries; [58239]

(2) what assessment his Department has made of the cost to consumers of compliance with the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations in 1998 in each EU Member State; [58235]

(3) what assessment his Department has made of the cost of compliance with the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 in each Member State of the EU. [58241]

Mr. Nick Brown

The Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 implement in Great Britain the provisions relating to charges for meat hygiene/ welfare inspections of Council Directive 85/73/EEC (as amended) on the financing of veterinary inspections and controls.

The level, method of calculation and compliance costs of such charges in other EU countries are matters for the relevant competent authority in each Member State. It is the European Commission's responsibility to ensure that individual Member States comply with their Community obligations as laid down in Directive 85/73/EEC.

Mr. Yeo

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what assessment his Department has made of the cost to British industry of the implementation of the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998; [58240]

(2) what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 on small and medium enterprises. [58232]

Mr. Nick Brown

A Regulatory Appraisal in respect of the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 has been prepared by my Department and will be placed in the Library of the House. The Regulatory Appraisal includes an assessment of the likely compliance costs for business of the Regulations and the likely impact on small businesses.

Mr. Yeo

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many representations he has received about the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 since they were implemented. [58233]

Mr. Nick Brown

My Department has received a small number of representations about the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 since they came into force.

Mr. Yeo

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the European Commission reasoned opinion document on which the interpretation of the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 is based. [58238]

Mr. Nick Brown

No. The Reasoned Opinion is the formal legal document in which the European Commission has set out its case against the UK Government in respect of our failure to implement fully the veterinary supervision requirements laid down in EC meat hygiene rules. Such formal communications between the European Commission and Member State Governments are confidential and not for publication.

Mr. Yeo

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made of the effect on prices received by livestock farmers of the implementation of the Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998. [58242]

Mr. Nick Brown

The Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) (Charges) Regulations 1998 relate to charges levied by the Meat Hygiene Service in Great Britain on licensed slaughterhouses, cutting plants and cold stores in respect of the hygiene/welfare inspections carried out in those premises. The prices received by livestock farmers for animals slaughtered in licensed slaughterhouses are a commercial matter for those involved.