§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are aware of any new proposals before the Council of Ministers relating to the inspection of animals and animal carcasses in slaughterhouses. [HL978]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath)The Food Standards Agency advises that the only proposals before the Council of Ministers relating to the inspection of animals and animal carcasses in slaughterhouses of which they are aware are those published in July 2000 concerning the consolidation 43WA and simplification of food hygiene legislation, including those relating to meat.
The agency has also circulated a recent Commission discussion paper on risk based meat inspection that refers to the Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures relating to public health's opinion on postmortem procedures for fattening pigs raised under controlled circumstances. The paper also includes suggestions relating to the possible integration of ante-and post-mortem inspection into a hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP)-based system.