HL Deb 25 June 1999 vol 602 cc120-1WA
Viscount Long

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many representations they have received from the British Veterinary Association and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons as to the qualifications of official veterinarians. [HL3036]

Lord Donoughue

None.

Lord Addington

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether inexperienced veterinary surgeons of non-British training, when acting as Official Veterinary Surgeons, can provide better protection for the consumer than experienced environmental health officers or senior meat inspectors with or without additional qualifications, when acting in the capacity of official veterinarians. [HL3031]

Lord Donoughue

Yes. The training which all EU veterinary surgeons are required to undertake provides the skills necessary to diagnose, at ante-mortem inspection, diseases of public health significance, such as BSE. (Environmental Health Officers and senior meat inspectors do not receive such training.)