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Dept of Health

Answer

Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect on abattoir numbers of increased meat inspection charges scheduled for introduction in April 2001. [143178] Ms Stuart: [holding answer 18 December 2000]: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that it has not made any official assessment of the impact on abattoir numbers of any increase in overall inspection charges arising from the planned introduction of full veterinary inspection supervision in full throughout abattoirs from April 2001. However, the Meat Inspection Charges Task Force, which reported to the FSA in June this year, concluded that this, in conjunction with the existing meat inspection charging arrangements, would lead to the serious decimation of the small and medium sized abattoir and cutting plant sector. The Task Force also considered that in some cases this would result in a near doubling of inspection charges for certain individual plants, particularly those in the small and medium sized sector, removing a substantial proportion of their profit and threatening many businesses. Against that background, on 28 November, we announced in the Rural White Paper that it would be providing £8.7 million in additional new aid in 2001-02 to offset meat inspection costs in order to secure the future of small and medium abattoirs.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

360 c145W; 143178

Session

2000-01

Subjects

Costs Fees and charges Inspections Hygiene Government assistance Meat Slaughterhouses

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk