HC Deb 07 April 2000 vol 347 cc641-2W
Mr. Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the revenue cost of(a) Rotherhithe, (b) Tower Bridge, (c) Southwark, (d) Walworth, (e) Camberwell, (f) Peckham and (g) East Dulwich police stations in each year for the years 1990–91 to 1999–2000. [113822]

Mr. Charles Clarke

[pursuant to his reply, 13 March 2000, c. 94W]: The Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District tells me that the figures requested for the financial year 1994–95 are not held centrally. The revised revenue costs for each of the police stations within Southwark Divisions from 1994–95 to date are given in the table.

Mr. Nick Brown

[holding answer 30 March 2000]: There is a legal ban on the use of bovine raw materials of UK-origin to make gelatine for use in food. My Department carries out regular inspections of gelatine manufacturers in the UK to ensure compliance with the requirements.

There is no EU requirement for gelatine manufacturers to be certified according to the ISO 9000 standard, which is an audit standard to provide quality assurance guarantees.

In line with OIE guidelines, the Specified Risk Material Order 1997 requires imported gelatine and related products intended for human or animal consumption and which may come from countries with a significant risk of BSE, to be accompanied by official veterinary certification confirming that they do not contain and were not derived from Specified Risk Material. These import controls will remain in place until EU SRM controls are agreed.

In addition, imported bovine hides and skins which have not been pickled limed or tanned must be derived from animals which have passed ante- and post-mortem examinations and showed no signs of serious diseases communicable to man or animals. All such imports must be accompanied by veterinary health certification in accordance with EU requirements.

Food labelling rules, which are agreed at EU level, require prepacked foods to carry an ingredients list. These generally require gelatine to be listed as an ingredient.

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