HL Deb 14 March 2002 vol 632 cc98-9WA
Baroness Byford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What have been the results of European Commission inspections of Brazilian slaughterhouses in the two years to January 2002; and [HL3020]

Whether the European Commission has inspected poultry slaughterhouses in Thailand in the period October 1999 to February 2002; and, if so, with what results. [H L3021]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty)

Copies of the Commission inspection reports are available on the Commission's website at the following address: http://www.europa.eu.int/ comm/food/fs/inspections/vi/reports/indexen.html.

European Commission inspectors visited Brazil in May 2000 to look at fresh meat and meat product establishments approved to export to the EU. Four other inspection visits to Brazil have also been carried out in the last two years looking at foot and mouth disease (two abattoirs inspected), fresh meat and offal (three slaughterhouse and cutting plants inspected), meat products and meat preparations (two meat products plants, one casings plant and one minced meat/meat preparations plant inspected) and poultry meat (three slaughterhouses inspected). Shortcomings identified in a previous visit in 1999 (including standards of supervision in plants, animal welfare at slaughter, procedures for issuing export certificates, lack of clear instructions by the competent authority and traceability) had either been eliminated or were being satisfactorily addressed by May 2000.

A Commission inspection team visited Thailand in February 2001. All shortcomings identified in a previous visit in December 1999 had been addressed. In February 2001 the overall situation was reported as being satisfactory.