§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
What are their current intentions relating to the proposed increase in hours of attendance by Meat Hygiene Service official veterinary surgeons. [HL1980]
§ The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Donoughue)As a result of the shortage of veterinarians in the UK willing to undertake meat hygiene work, a programme of progressive changes has been devised to permit full compliance with the veterinary supervision requirements of EU meat hygiene rules within as short a timescale as possible. Progress will depend on the ability of the Meat Hygiene Service to secure additional veterinary16WA resources for this work, including the recruitment of additional official veterinary surgeons.
§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether there are any measures under European Union or United Kingdom law which prevent suitably qualified official veterinary surgeons from carrying out meat inspection duties. [HL1981]
§ Lord DonoughueThe European Union law relating to meat hygiene, and the legislation which implements such law in Great Britain, are not designed to prevent suitably qualified official veterinary surgeons from carrying out meat inspection duties, but rather the reverse. EU and GB law requires meat inspection duties to be carried out by an official veterinary surgeon or. in the case of certain defined tasks, by an inspector acting under the supervision and responsibility of an official veterinary surgeon.