HL Deb 06 July 1999 vol 603 cc86-100WA
Lord Swinfen

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, if the primary purpose of establishing the Meat Hygiene Service was to promote consistency and uniformity of meat hygiene law enforcement and inspection, there is now a justification for the service, since the role of the proposed Food Standards Agency is to promote the consistency and uniformity of food safety law in general; and whether, therefore, it would be appropriate to return meat hygiene law enforcement to local authorities, under the general supervision of the Food Standards Agency, when it is established. [HL3305]

Lord Donoughue

The Government believe that maintenance of a centralised meat hygiene service remains fully justified. The performance of the Meat Hygiene Service will be overseen and monitored by the Food Standards Agency.

Lord Swinfen

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the transfer of the Meat Hygiene Service, as an executive agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, to the proposed Food Standards Agency is compatible with the guiding principles of the agency expressed in the White Paper on the Food Standards Agency, in that its assessments of meat hygiene and safety may be affected by virtue of its ownership of the Meat Hygiene Service and its responsibility for ensuring that it meets its performance targets. [HL3307]

Lord Donoughue

The Government see no incompatibility between the guiding principles for the Food Standards Agency as proposed in the White Paper and its responsibility for the Meat Hygiene Service. Both the Food Standards Agency and the Meat Hygiene Service have as their main objective the protection of public health in relation to food.

The Earl of Denbigh

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What action would be expected of a slaughterhouse owner when served with an Improvement Notice by an Official Veterinary Surgeon which required him to "implement a hazard analysis system to prevent hygiene". [HL3040]

Lord Donoughue

The slaughterhouse owner would be expected to point out the obvious drafting error to the Official Veterinary Surgeon, thus enabling an amended Improvement Notice to be issued.

The Earl of Denbigh

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will define the term "customer" in the context of the relationship between slaughterhouse owners and the Meat Hygiene Service. [HL3041]

Lord Donoughue

The Meat Hygiene Service provides a statutory meat inspection service to all licensed fresh meat premises. It refers to all of those to whom it provides such a service as customers.

Lady Kinloss

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Who, in the event of a dispute between the proposed Food Standards Agency and the Meat Hygiene Service, as to the service's performance targets set by the agency, will arbitrate, or whether the agency will have sole authority to set and enforce its targets. [HL3316]

Lord Donoughue

The proposed Food Standards Agency will have sole authority to set and enforce performance targets for the Meat Hygiene Service.

Lady Kinloss

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the proposal to integrate the Meat Hygiene Service into the proposed Food Standards Agency is sound, since the relationship will allow senior officials of the Meat Hygiene service to attribute to the agency any failures to meet performance standards, by virtue of the agency having approved its spending and operations plans. [HL3317]

Lord Donoughue

Yes. The Chief Executive of the Meat Hygiene Service will remain accountable for the performance of that service.

Lady Kinloss

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they are aware of any scientific research which indicates that the post mortem inspection procedures applied to carcasses in slaughterhouses, carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Fresh Meat Directive 91/497/EEC, are themselves a significant cause of contamination in fresh meat. [HL3319]

Lord Donoughue

Yes. The Government are aware that some studies have shown that some meat inspection procedures increase the risk of contamination. The Government are therefore supportive of initiatives, at Community level, for makingpost mortem inspection procedures more risk-based.

Earl Grey

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How the proposed Food Standards Agency will ensure fairness in its auditing teams which assess the performance of the Meat Hygiene Service, when those officers will be aware that any shortcomings of the service might reflect on the agency which employs them; and how will they prevent pressure by senior officers of the agency being applied to auditors to tone down criticism of under-performance. [HL3309]

Lord Donoughue

The precise arrangements will be a matter for the Food Standards Agency (FSA) Board once it has been appointed. It is envisaged however, that the Board of the FSA will establish a sub-committee with external members to supervise the MHS. Under this arrangement, those responsible in the FSA for the audit of the MHS would report direct to the sub committee. In addition, the State Veterinary Service of MAFF (SRM controls), the National Audit Office, (finance and accounts), the British Standards Institution (quality standards) and inspectors of the European Commission's Food and Veterinary Office (implementation of Community law) will all continue their independent audits of those elements of the MHS activities in which they have an interest.

Lord Palmer

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, in the event of a complaint from a consumer regarding unfit red meat or poultry for human consumption, where the unfitness results from a condition which could have or should have been apparent during a post mortem inspection of the carcass from which the meat was derived and the carcass had been duly inspected by Meat Hygiene Service staff, the owner or operator of the plant from which the meat originated has any legal liability for the condition of that meat. [HL3329]

Lord Donoughue

Yes. Both the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 (as amended) and the Poultry Meat, Farmed Game Bird Meat and Rabbit Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 place an obligation on the occupiers of licensed premises,inter alia, to take all necessary measures to ensure that at all stages of production the requirements of the regulations are complied with and to carry out checks (including any microbiological checks the Minister may require) on the general hygiene of conditions of production in the establishment to ensure that all equipment and, if necessary, fresh meat, comply with the requirements of the regulations. The fact that a condition was not noted by MHS staff does not absolve the occupier of this obligation.

Lord Palmer

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What stage the European Commission infraction proceedings have reached, in respect of non-compliance by the United Kingdom with the veterinary attendance provisions of the Fresh Meat Directive and the Poultrymeat Directive. [HL3331]

Lord Donoughue

The European Commission's infraction proceedings against the United Kingdom for non-compliance with the veterinary supervision requirements of the Fresh Meat Directive (64/433/EEC, as amended) have reached the Reasoned Opinion stage.

The European Commission has not initiated infraction proceedings against the United Kingdom for non-compliance with the veterinary supervision requirements of the Poultrymeat Directive (71/118/EEC).

Lord Blyth

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What arrangements exist for compensating licensed slaughterhouse owners and operators for losses suffered as a result of actions by Meat Hygiene Service staff which have subsequently been proved, or admitted, to have been unjustified. [HL3076]

Lord Donoughue

Slaughterhouses are entitled to submit a claim for compensation to the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) where they believe that actions by MHS staff have been unjustified.

Lord Blyth

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether it is permissible for Official Veterinary Surgeons to deduct marks from a Hygiene Assessment Scheme score on the grounds that a contravention of statutory requirements has been observed and then, on determining that the claimed statutory requirements do not exist, to deduct the same number of marks because the observed practice does not confirm with claimed but unpublished "best practice". [HL3077]

Lord Donoughue

Instructions to Official Veterinary Surgeons for the completion of Hygiene Assessment System (HAS) scores are set out comprehensively in the MHS Operations Manual, and the distinction between statutory requirements and best practice is clearly identified.

The HAS awards higher scores in premises where best practice is observed which may be over and above the minimum statutory requirements.

Lord Blyth

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether there are any benefits in requiring slaughterhouse owners to carry out testing of mains water supplies, where the water is supplied by statutory undertakers to minimum standards of purity which conform to European Union requirements and which is frequently tested by those undertakers. [HL3079]

Lord Donoughue

Yes. Water can become contaminated within the slaughterhouse's own water system before use.

Lord Blyth

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have commissioned, are aware of, or intend to commission any detailed scientific studies which quantify the overall average microbiological counts on carcasses which have been deemed to have been contaminated by gut contents and which have been kept in dry conditions at ambient temperatures for 12–24 hours, without trimming, and how these counts compare with counts from carcasses held in refrigeration and which have been trimmed in accordance with Meat Hygiene Service policy. [HL3258]

Lord Donoughue

No.

Lord Blyth

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the proposed Food Standards Agency, as the proposed "owner" of the Meat Hygiene Service, will assume responsibility for authorising the payment of performance bonuses to the chief executive of the Meat Hygiene Service, and its staff. [HL3259]

Lord Donoughue

The Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) Ownership Board is currently responsible for authorising the performance bonus received by the chief executive of the MHS. Performance is assessed against published objectives and targets. It is proposed that ownership of the MHS will transfer to the Food Standards Agency (FSA). It is expected that it will then be for the FSA. Board to make decisions on how payment of any performance bonus to the chief executive of the MHS will be handled.

There are no plans to alter the current system whereby responsibility for staff matters outside the Senior Civil Service is delegated to the chief executive of the MHS.

Lord Blyth

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the overall microbial counts of fresh meat have improved as a result of Meat Hygiene Service activities, since its inception, compared with the standards produced prior to the establishment of the Meat Hygiene Service. [HL3260]

Lord Donoughue

The information requested is not available.

Lord Blyth

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How in the event of a food safety crisis involving the meat industry, arising in whole or in part from the performance of meat hygiene enforcement officials, the proposed Food Standards Agency will be able to act as an independent arbiter of enforcement standards, when it may be perceived to bear some responsibility for that performance by virtue of the absorption of the Meat Hygiene Service into its structure. [HL3312]

Lord Donoughue

The task of the Meat Hygiene Service will be to carry out the policy of the Food Standards Agency in accordance with the standards set by the agency. If individual meat hygiene enforcement officials failed to implement that policy, appropriate action, including disciplinary action, would be taken.

Lord Blyth

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What factors were taken into account when the decision was taken to absorb the Meat Hygiene Service into the structure of the proposed Food Standards Agency was made. [HL3313]

Lord Donoughue

The Government took note of the recommendations from Professor Philip James in his proposal for a Food Standards Agency that the Meat Hygiene Service should form part of that agency; and of the widely supportive comments in response to that report. The Government also took the view that it was in principle right that a body with responsibilities that were primarily concerned with food safety should form part of the Food Standards Agency.

Lord Blyth

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether any alternative arrangements were considered for the continuation of the Meat Hygiene Service other than its absorption into the structure of the proposed Food Standards Agency; what those arrangements were; and, in the event that any were considered, why they were rejected. [HL3314]

Lord Donoughue

No. The Government did not consider any alternative options in detail because it agreed with Professor James' recommendation that the Meat Hygiene Service should form part of the Food Standards Agency.

Lord Blyth

asked Her Majesty's Government:

In the context of the proposed Food Standards Agency exercising its auditing function in respect of the Meat Hygiene Service, what powers or authority they will have to enforce its findings where these indicate that the Meat Hygiene Service is failing to perform satisfactorily; and what sanctions they will be able to impose in the event that the Meat Hygiene Service does not meet its performance targets. [HL3315]

Lord Donoughue

The proposed Food Standards Agency will be able to direct the Meat Hygiene Service to improve its performance should it fail to perform satisfactorily. It will be for the agency to decide in the particular circumstances what sanctions to impose in the event of the MHS failing to meet its performance targets.

Lord Willoughby de Broke

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether any Principal Official Veterinary Surgeons appointed to the Meat Hygiene Service have any statutory powers in respect of the implementation of the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995; and [HL2937]

Whether Resource Managers and other administrative staff employed by the Meat Hygiene Service have any statutory powers of entry to premises licensed under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995. [HL2938]

Lord Donoughue

Only in circumstances where a Principal Official Veterinary Surgeon (POVS) is appointed as the Official Veterinary Surgeon to a plant will they have statutory powers in respect of the implementation of the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995.

In all other circumstances, POVSs, Area Resource Managers and other administrative staff do not have any statutory powers under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995. However, staff authorised under the Food Safety Act 1990 do have statutory powers of entry.

Lord Willoughby de Broke

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, when the ability of the European national veterinary surgeons to communicate effectively with all parties is assessed, that assessment is by means of an examination, oral or written; whether marks are awarded; and, if marked, what is the pass mark; and [HL2961]

When European national veterinary surgeons are required to complete written tests in English on case studies and legislative requirements relating to meat hygiene, what marks are awarded respectively for addressing the subject material and for competence in English; and what is the overall pass mark. [HL2962]

Lord Donoughue

Whilst no formal examination is undertaken, a veterinary surgeon's ability to communicate effectively is assessed as part of the Official Veterinary Surgeon (OVS) course. Only where an acceptable standard is demonstrated are they eligible to be designated as OVSs.

Viscount Long

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether Meat Hygiene Service personnel making entries in slaughterhouse "day books" recording allegations of verbal abuse on the part of slaughterhouse staff are required to substantiate these allegations and record the circumstances in which they were made; and, in the cases which were substantiated, whether any provocation was involved; and [HL3033]

Whether any instructions have been given to Meat Hygiene Service personnel who make entries in slaughterhouse "day books" which record allegations of verbal abuse on the part of slaughterhouse staff as to their obligations to avoid defamation. [HL3034]

Lord Donoughue

Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) staff have been instructed in the proper use of the MHS Plant Day Book to record incidents of any nature.

Where the abuse is of such a serious nature as to result in a possibility of prosecution, then a full criminal investigation is carried out. This investigation will involve interviews with all parties.

Viscount Long

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have commissioned, are aware of, or will commission, detailed scientific studies which may identify differences in the microbiological standards of meat produced from slaughterhouses in which there is 50 per cent. veterinary attendance or less, compared with those plants where there is 100 per cent. attendance. [HL3320]

Lord Donoughue

No.

Viscount Long

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why, when slaughterhouse owners are obliged to provide samples to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate for residues sampling, not all of those samples are tested for residues. [HL3325]

Lord Donoughue

The number of samples all member states are obliged to include in their national residues surveillance plan is set out in Directive 96/23/EC. Despite regularly monitoring sample collection, it is not always possible for the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) to achieve the individual national residues plan targets because of the large numbers of samples involved and the variety of materials required for analysis. Some under and over-collection in certain sectors and categories is inevitable. This has no effect on the confidence that can be drawn from the results which remain fully representative of the animals and animal products being made available for human consumption.

Acknowledging this, my right honourable friend the Minister announced in Parliament on 29 April 1999 that he had set the VMD a high level target for the statutory surveillance programme in 1999–2000 to collect 100 per cent. of samples in the GB National residues plan and to test 95 per cent. of these samples.

'The Countess of Mar

asked. Her Majesty's Government:

How many hours are dedicated by veterinary surgeons to the study of the Meal: Hygiene Service Operations manual during the conversion course for Official Veterinary Surgeons. [HL2927]

Lord Donoughue

With the exception of three hours of lecture on meat science, the rest of the Official Veterinary Surgeon course, comprising 48 hours' theory and 56 hours' practical training is based on the Operations Manual.

The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What plans they have to arrange for the independent auditing of the Meat Hygiene Service, by the Food Standards Agency, when the Meat Hygiene Service is absorbed into the Food Standards Agency. [HL3009]

Lord Donoughue

The precise arrangements will be a matter for the Food Standards Agency (FSA) Board once it has been appointed. It is envisaged, however, that the board of the FSA will establish a sub-committee with external members to supervise the MHS. Under this arrangement, those responsible in the FSA for the audit of the MHS would report direct to the sub-committee. In addition, the State Veterinary Service of MAFF (SRM controls), the National Audit Office (finance and accounts), the British Standards Institution (quality standards) and inspectors of the European Commission's Food and Veterinary Office (implementation of Community law) will all continue their independent audits of those elements of the MHS activities in which they have an interest.

The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether a Meat Hygiene inspector who soils an area of a slaughterhouse by accidental spillage of ink used for official health marks should be required to clean up the mess himself, or whether the slaughterhouse owner or his staff are required to do so. [HL3014]

Lord Donoughue

Schedule 7 to the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995, as amended, specifies that it is the responsibility of the occupier to keep their premises in such a state of cleanliness so as to prevent the risk of contamination of any fresh meat in those premises, or in the case of slaughterhouses, of any blood intended for human consumption.

The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many Meat Hygiene Service staff are employed to investigate the trade in unfit meat; and [HL3207]

How many staff are employed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to investigate the trade in unfit meat.[HL3208]

Lord Donoughue

The Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) is responsible for enforcing a range of meat hygiene legislation and BSE controls in licensed fresh meat premises in Great Britain on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. MHS staff working in these premises have a role to play in ensuring that only fit meat is traded for human consumption. Numbers of staff employed by the MHS are published in its annual report and accounts.

The Veterinary Public Health Unit of the Joint Food Safety and Standards Group in England (and the State Veterinary Service in Scotland and in Wales) is responsible for co-ordinating and referring allegations of illegal activity in respect of the Fresh Meat, Poultry Meat and Wild Game Meat Regulations to MAFF's Investigation Branch. There are 10 Veterinary Meat Hygiene Advisers involved in this work.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food employs 20 Investigation Officers to investigate potential criminal offences under legislation (including meat hygiene legislation) for which the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is the responsible enforcement authority.

The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have any plans to introduce a "fast-track" system of meat inspection in the United Kingdom; and, if not, what would be the obstacles to the introduction of such a system. [HL3210]

Lord Donoughue

Meat inspection is required to be carried out in accordance with the detailed requirements laid down in the EU meat hygiene directives. The Government would support proposals to amend those directives to allow more risk-based inspection procedures providing at least equivalent safeguards for public health.

The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the procurement of a single microbiological test per week in abattoirs with a throughput of over 1,000 animals a week is sufficient to detect the presence of E.coli 0157 in these plants. [HL3211]

Lord Donoughue

No.

The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether all meat and meat products (including poultry products) imported into the United Kingdom meet the same hygiene standards as those which apply to United Kingdom meat and meat products, particularly in relation to imports from the People's Republic of China and other Far East countries. [HL3225]

Lord Donoughue

All consignments of fresh meat and meat products, including poultry products, imported into the UK, whether from other EU member states or third countries, must have been produced in accordance with the harmonised Community rules laid down in various Council Directives and Commission Decisions. Among other things, these Directives and Decisions set out the licensing, structural and veterinary supervision requirements to be applied in production plants. Production premises in third countries, including those in the Far East, have to comply with standards at least equivalent to those which apply to producers in the EU before imports of meat or meat products from them are permitted.

The European Commission's Food and Veterinary Office carries out regular programmes of inspection visits to EU Member States and to the third countries from which fresh meat and meat products are imported into the Community.

All consignments of fresh meat and meat products imported from third countries are subject to veterinary inspection on entering the EU to ensure that conditions of import have been complied with and that they have remained in a satisfactory condition during transport.

The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the Association of Meat Inspectors carried out a survey of carcass condemnations during 1994–95; and whether this indicated a growing problem of tuberculosis lesions in adult bovines. [HL3228]

Lord Donoughue

Yes, a survey was carried out in 1994. It provided information over a short time period at a limited number of slaughterhouses. No conclusions regarding the prevalence of tuberculosis could be made, as the results were not directly comparable with other available statistics.

The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Donoughue on 16 June (WA 28), why the Meat Hygiene Service operations manual refers to the monthly hygiene assessment made by an Official Veterinary Surgeon under the "Enforcement" section, and instructs Official Veterinary Surgeons to write to plant operators to confirm the nature of deficiencies found and the action required to correct them, given that the Hygiene Assessment Scheme (HAS) monitors the hygiene of licensed slaughterhouse and cutting plant operations, it does not assess their compliance with statutory or non-statutory requirements. [HL3250]

Lord Donoughue

Official Veterinary Surgeons monitor the hygiene of operation of licensed premises by means of the Hygiene Assessment System (HAS). Hygiene conditions which result in the award of "c" and "d" HAS scores indicate contraventions of the regulations. Thus HAS can be used as a check to ensure appropriate enforcement action has been taken.

The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Donoughue on 16 June (WA 28), by what authority Official Veterinary Surgeons carry out hygiene assessments under the Hygiene Assessment Scheme (HAS) if the HAS does not assess the compliance of licensed slaughterhouse owners or operators with statutory or non-statutory requirements and only authority vested in Official Veterinary Surgeons is related specifically to enforcement of the Fresh Meat Directive 91/497/EEC and the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995; in neither of which is there any reference to HAS. [HL3252]

Lord Donoughue

HAS scores are compiled by an Official Veterinary Surgeon (OVS) from observations made while carrying out the duties detailed in Regulation 8 of the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995, as amended. It also provides the OVS with a structured means of fulfilling his/her duties under Council Directive 64/433/EEC Article 10.4 regularly to analyse the results of the operators' checks, which must be carried out on the general hygiene of conditions of production in an establishment.

The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Donoughue on 16 June (WA 28), what provision is made for appeals by operators of licensed slaughterhouse or cutting plants as to their Hygiene Assessment Scheme scores if they believe that an appeal to the Meat Hygiene Service has not been properly or fairly determined; whether the current system for appeals is both independent and impartial when the Meat Hygiene Service is the employer of the assessors; and whether arrangements can be made for a review of the scores by an assessor not employed by the Meat Hygiene Service. [HL3253]

Lord Donoughue

Appeals by operators against HAS scores are considered by the Principal Official Veterinary Surgeon. If plant operators are unable to accept the decision of the POVS, they may make use of the MHS formal appeals procedure. The MHS believes its review procedures are carried out fairly and if an issue of fact arises the outcome will be based on physical evidence. If the issue relates to the interpretation of HAS guidance, it may be submitted to the HAS Panel of Government veterinarians, chaired by a Veterinary Advisor of the Joint Food Safety and Standards Group.

The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by Lord Donoughue on 16 June (WA 27–28), whether the survey carried out by Hudson and others, published in the Veterinary Record 139, in respect of the relationship between microbiological standards of carcasses and Hygiene Assessment Scheme (HAS) scores, was determined on the basis of scientifically sound random sample which took account of all the potential variables in slaughterhouses; and whether some slaughterhouses for which high HAS scores were calculated also yielded high carcass microbiological counts and vice versa. [HL3301]

Lord Donoughue

The survey by Hudson and others was carried out in a structured sample of beef abattoirs made up of four large premises with powered lines, three medium sized premises with manually-operated lines and three smaller units using cradle dressing. No slaughterhouse in the study with a high mean HAS score had a high mean microbiological count orvice versa. All five premises with mean HAS scores of 63 or better had mean TVC counts of 3.13 or less. All six premises with mean HAS scores of 54 or worse had mean TVC counts of 3.14 or worse.

The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Donoughue on 16 June (WA 27–28), whether the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is able to demonstrate a negative correlation between Hygiene Assessment Scheme (HAS) scores and total viable bacterial counts in relation to licensed slaughterhouses and cutting plants where HAS scores are calculated by non-United Kingdom national Official Veterinary Surgeons. [HL3302]

Lord Donoughue

No. Data are not available to make such comparisons.

The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What is the scientific basis to the revised Hygiene Assessment Scheme, due to be implemented on 1 July 1999. [HL3303]

Lord Donoughue

The basis of the revised Hygiene Assessment System (HAS) for monitoring hygiene standards in licensed slaughterhouses and cutting plants is unchanged. The previous system set criteria for two of the four available markings for each aspect of hygiene in plants. The new HAS guidance, developed with industry help, sets criteria for all four markings, to help ensure the application of common standards in all premises.

The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What measures are taken by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to ensure that poultry and poultry meat imported from European Union countries comply with the latest Commission Decision on dioxin contamination and with poultry meat hygiene directives; how many checks have been conducted on these products in the last 12 months; in how many cases have infringements been found; and what action was taken when directives had not been adhered to. [HL3336]

Lord Donoughue

The various Commission Decisions adopted in response to the dioxin contamination incident have been transposed into UK law by way of the Food (Animals and Animal Products from Belgium) (Emergency Control) Order 1999 and the Animal Feedingstuffs from Belgium (Control) Regulations 1999 (both as amended).

Ensuring that all member states comply with their Community obligations in properly implementing and applying the poultry meat hygiene (and other meat hygiene) directives is the responsibility of the European Commission, whose Food and Veterinary Office carries out regular programmes of inspection visits to all member states. Their reports are considered by the Standing Veterinary Committee in Brussels, and, if necessary, the Commission will take infraction proceedings against member states whose arrangements are considered inadequate.

Single Market rules only permit random spot-checks at destination on products traded within the Community. In the UK, random checks may be carried out by a number of bodies, including local authorities. Information on these checks is not collected centrally.

The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether imported Italian chicken is packed in accordance with European hygiene directives; and what action they propose to take to ensure compliance with European Union legislation. [HL3337]

Lord Donoughue

Consignments of fresh meat sent to the UK must be packaged in accordance with specific rules laid down in EU legislation, regardless of their country of origin. Ministry officials have raised the matter of inadequate packaging with the Italian authorities in the past and have received suitable assurances from them. Nevertheless, we have asked producers to report any apparent transgressions of EU rules to Meat Hygiene Service staff and to the relevant local authorities so that they may be investigated.

The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether there is a discrepancy between the Written Answers by Lord Donoughue on 16 June (WA 28) and 23 June (WA 96) where in the former he states that: "The Hygiene Assessment System (HAS) monitors the hygiene of licensed slaughterhouse and cutting plant operations, it does not assess their compliance with statutory and non-statutory requirements", and in the latter he states that the HAS is "an integral part of Official Veterinary Surgeon supervision … and is therefore directly related to the enforcement of the statutory provisions of the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995"; and whether, if the later reply is correct, the criteria used for assessing HAS scores should be confined to statutory requirements. [HL3338]

Lord Donoughue

There is no discrepancy between my previous answers. Operators are required to adhere to the meat hygiene regulations and Official Veterinary Surgeons (OVSs) will enforce the regulations where necessary. As part of their supervisory duties, OVSs will monitor the hygiene of the operation by means of the Hygiene Assessment System (HAS). Hygiene conditions which result in the award of "c" and "d" HAS scores indicate contraventions of the regulations and so HAS can be used as a check that appropriate enforcement action has been taken. Hygiene conditions which result in the award of "b" scores indicate satisfactory compliance with statutory requirements, while "a" scores indicate that best practice, over and above the legal requirements, has been applied. The Government wish to encourage high hygiene standards and it is therefore entirely appropriate that the Hygiene Assessment System allows extra points to be given where the highest standards are practised.

Lord Stanley of Alderley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, in the absence of any significant level of morbidity in lambs presented for slaughter in United Kingdom slaughterhouses, and in view of the fact that the animals from which the carcasses are derived are subject to ante mortem examination, there is any measurable public health benefit in requiring the post mortem inspection of lambs, other than by way of a sample of lambs from each flock or batch presented. [HL3230]

Lord Donoughue

In view of the low levels of morbidity in lambs presented for slaughter, restrictingpost mortem inspection to a sample from each flock or batch would not be an effective method of detecting the small percentage of carcasses which pose a risk to public health.

Lord Stanley of Alderley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have commissioned, are aware of, or will commission, any detailed scientific studies to demonstrate that the rapid cooling of carcasses after the slaughter of animals from which they are derived yields better microbiological standards, after 24 hours' retention, than carcasses which have been cooled slowly at ambient temperature in dry, well-ventilated premises. [HL3234]

Lord Donoughue

The rate of bacterial growth on carcasses is temperature dependant. As ambient temperature varies a great deal, studies which allowed uncontrolled variations in the temperature to which carcasses were exposed would be of very limited scientific value. The Government have not commissioned, and do not intend to commission, any such studies.

In any event, the specific requirements relating to the cooling of carcasses are laid down in the Fresh Meat Directive (64/433/EEC, as amended). Subject to limited exceptions, fresh meat must be chilled immediately after the post mortem inspection.

Lord Stanley of Alderley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have commissioned, are aware of, or will commission, any detailed scientific studies which may or do identify differences in the microbiological standards of meat produced from low throughput and full throughput slaughterhouses. [HL3235]

Lord Donoughue

No.