Written question asked by David Drew (Labour) on Tuesday, 15 March 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 7 April 2005. It was answered by Melanie Johnson (Labour) on Thursday, 7 April 2005 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on his plans for the Meat Hygiene Service.

Answer: Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his plans for the Meat Hygiene Service. [222970] Miss Melanie Johnson: The Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) carries out important and valuable work in licensed meat establishments to protect public health, animal health and animal welfare. I have been advised by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that the MHS is facing a number of significant changes. These include enforcement arrangements for new European Union food hygiene regulations, which come into force in January 2006; plans to allow beef from cattle over 30 months old back on to the market once robust arrangements for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) testing are in place; and addressing recommendations made in the report of the independent inquiry into BSE testing failures. The MHS is working closely with the Food Standards Agency and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs towards the effective implementation of these changes.

Secondary information