HL Deb 11 June 1999 vol 601 cc181-2WA
The Countess of Mar

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, in view of the reported overspend by the BSE inquiry and the alleged strain on the current finances of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, they will consider implementing suggestions for self-supervision of specified risk material controls by abattoir owners under licence; and, if not, why not. [HL2704]

Lord Donoughue

The Ministry's financial position is not relevant to this question since, as the Government have made clear, they believe that the costs of enforcing the controls on specified risk material should in principle be recovered from industry. However, the Government have also announced that they will examine the way the inspections are carried out to ensure that, when charges are set, the costs are as low as possible, consistent with maintaining public safety and honouring our obligations under EU law. There is no reason why that examination should not include the idea of self-supervision.