§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will require slaughterhouse operators to affix to freshly killed animals suitable labels, stating their species, so that the Official Veterinary Surgeons employed by the Meat Hygiene Service are able to identify them. [HL2801]
§ Lord DonoughueOfficial Veterinary Surgeons employed or contracted by the Meat Hygiene Service, should he able to determine the species of animal from which a carcase was derived from an examination of the carcase.
There is therefore no need for slaughterhouse operators to affix labels to freshly killed animals, stating their species.
§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in the light of the House of Commons report on the draft Food Standards Agency bill, they still intend to integrate the Meat Hygiene Service within the Food Standards Agency [HL2802]
§ Lord DonoughueYes. The Government believe that the MHS, with its primary responsibility being one of food safety and the protection of public health, should report to the Food Standards Agency, while maintaining its identity as a discrete executive agency. Within this framework, the Government do intend to separate the audit function in relation to the MHS from its day-to-day operation.
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§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many times since the commencement of the duties of the Meat Hygiene Service on 1 April 1995 has the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food prosecuted owners or staff in (a) licensed red meat slaughterhouses; (b) licensed poultry meat processing plants; and (c) licensed meat cutting plants; and, in each case, how many of these prosecutions have been successful. [HL2805]
§ Lord DonoughueSince the commencement of the duties of the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) on 1 April 1995, the number of prosecutions taken by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food against plant owners or their staff for failure to comply with legislation enforced by the MHS, together with the number that resulted in conviction, is as follows:
Number of prosecutions Number resulting in conviction (a) Licensed red meat slaughterhouses 51 47 (b) Licensed poultry meat processing plants 12 11 (c) Licensed meat cutting plants 5 5
§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will consider publishing details of unsuccessful prosecutions of slaughterhouse licence holders under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations and other legislation in the Meat Hygiene Service Enforcement Bulletin and in press releases, giving them equal prominence with intended and successful prosecutions. [HL2828]
§ Lord DonoughueDetails of all relevant unsuccessful prosecutions taken by enforcement authorities are already published in the monthlyBSE Enforcement Bulletin and Meat Hygiene Enforcement Report, along with intended and successful cases. It is not the Ministry's normal practice to issue press releases about prosecutions, whatever the outcome.
§ Lord Willoughby de Brokeasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action is taken by staff of the Joint Food Standards and Safety Group carrying out audits of Meat Hygiene Service performance to determine whether Meat Hygiene Service staff employed in enforcement duties in meat plants specifically distinguish between works or actions which are statutory requirements and those which are recommended when requiring or recommending works or actions by meat plant owners or staff. [HL2933]
§ Lord DonoughueThe purpose of the annual audit of the Meat Hygiene Service by the Joint Food Safety and Standards Group is to assess whether the operations, 81WA practices and activities of the Meat Hygiene Service at supervised abattoirs, cutting plants and coldstores comply with the specified codes of practice and requirements in the MHS Operations Manual. The manual embraces the requirements of the relevant legislation, and of national guidance on hygiene standards.
If, during an audit, the Meat Hygiene Service were to be found to have required works or actions to be carried out that went beyond its statutory powers, a non-compliance would be recorded in the audit report.
§ Lord Willoughby de Brokeasked Her Majesty's Government:
What disciplinary or other action is taken by staff of the Joint Food Standards and Safety Group carrying out audits of Meat Hygiene Service performance when they discover that Meat Hygiene Service staff employed in enforcement duties in meat or cutting plants have failed to distinguish between works or actions which are statutory requirements and those which are recommendations when requiring or recommending works or actions by meat plant owners or staff. [HL2934]
§ Lord DonoughueThe audit staff of the Joint Food Safety and Standards Group do not take disciplinary action against the staff of the Meat Hygiene Service. Following an audit, any non-compliances recorded are reported to the Meat Hygiene Service management for action as appropriate.
§ Lord Willoughby de Brokeasked Her Majesty's Government:
In how many instances during audit of Meat Hygiene Service performance breaches of any of the requirements set out in the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 by Official Veterinary Surgeons or Meat. Hygiene Inspectors have been reported. [HL2935]
§ Lord DonoughueThe results of the Joint Food Safety and Standards Group audit of the Meat Hygiene Service are published annually and placed in the Library of the House. The report covering the period April 1997 to March 1998 was published in November 1998.