§ Mr. LivseyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if an Office of Veterinary Services contract has been awarded by the Meat Hygiene Service in respect of the new meat plant at Merthyr Tydfil; and if he will make a statement. [121218]
§ Ms Stuart[holding answer 10 May 2000]: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) has yet to put out to tender the contract for the provision of Official Veterinary Service (OVS) duties to the new abattoir currently being built at Merthyr Tydfil. This plant has yet to be licensed by the Food Standards Agency and has not commenced operations.
The contract for the provision of OVS duties to the licensed cutting plant that is currently operating from the same site was awarded to the Abbey Veterinary Centre at Abergavenny.
590WThe MHS makes extensive use of contract OVSs which it obtains by means of best practice competitive tendering procedures.