HL Deb 13 July 1999 vol 604 cc25-6WA
Viscount Long

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, for each employee of the Veterinary Public Health Unit of the Joint Food Standards and Safety Group within the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who has visited countries outside the European Union in 1998 or 1999, they will list (a) the countries; (b) the date of the visit and its duration; (c) the grade of the employee; (d) the total cost of each visit; and (e) the purpose of the visit. [HL3453]

Lord Donoughue

The information requested is given in the table below.

Country Visited Date/Duration Employee Grade Approximate Total Cost (Excluding Salary) Purpose of Visit
Australia February 98 13 days Veterinary Advisor (7) £4,500 Attend Codex Committee on Food Import and Export inspection and Certification Systems.
USA February 98 23 days Veterinary Meat Hygiene Adviser (7) £5,900 Attend USDA Foreign Inspector Training Course (to facilitate exports to USA)
Hungary March 98 6 days Veterinary Advisor (7) Paid by EC Member State expert on EC visit to review veterinary controls in Third Country
Czech Republic March 98 9 days Veterinary Meat Hygiene Adviser (7) Paid by EC Member State expert on EC visit to review veterinary controls in Third Country
Estonia/Latvia/Lithuania June 98 9 days Veterinary Meat Hygiene Adviser (7) Paid by EC Member State expert on EC visit to review veterinary controls in Third Country
Latvia November 98 5 days Veterinary Advisor (7) Paid by EC Member State expert on EC visit to review veterinary controls in Third Country

Country Visited Date/Duration Employee Grade Approximate Total Cost (Excluding Salary) Purpose of Visit
Kenya/Uganda/Mozambique November/December 98 23 days Veterinary Meat Hygiene Adviser (7) Paid by EC Member State expert on EC visit to review veterinary controls in Third Country
Iceland October 98 6 days Veterinary Advisor (7) Paid by EC Member State expert on EC visit to review veterinary controls in Third Country
USA January 99 21 days Veterinary Meal Hygiene Adviser (7) £7,200 Attend USDA Foreign Inspector Training Course (to facilitate exports to USA)
Thailand February 99 12 days Veterinary Head (SCS) and Veterinary Advisor (7) £8,000 Imported Food Regulations inspection of poultry meat plants approved to export to EU
Australia February/March 99 18 days Deputy Veterinary Head (6) £6,000 Attend Codex Committee on Food Import and Export inspection and Certification Systems. Attend World Conference on Meat and Poultry Inspection
Poland March 99 1 day Assistant Chief Veterinary Officer £800 Present paper to food safety and hygiene seminar
China May/June 99 20 days Veterinary Meat Hygiene Adviser (7) Paid by EC Member State expert on EC visit to review veterinary controls in Third Country
Hungary June 99 6 days Veterinary Meat Hygiene Adviser (7) Paid by CCFIDI Hungary Advice on EC requirements