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Dept of Health

Answer

Mr. Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which other EU countries are supportive of a meat inspection regime based upon risk analysis. [131100] Ms Stuart: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that at recent European Commission Working Group meetings on veterinary legislation, all European Union member states have expressed support for the Commission's initiative to fundamentally review ante- and post-mortem inspection procedures in slaughterhouses. All member states were of the view that the current meat inspection system should be re-assessed on the basis of risk. However, there were varying degrees of support for the extent to which it would be possible to move away from the present levels of official supervision and for plant operators to take responsibility for post-mortem inspection. Subsequent bilateral meetings between Food Standards Agency officials and representatives from the veterinary authorities in France and the Netherlands have shown these countries to be very supportive of a risk-based approach to both official controls and meat inspection procedures.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

354 c620-1W; 131100

Session

1999-00

Subjects

EU countries Inspections Food Standards Agency Meat Slaughterhouses Risk assessment

Link

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