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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Answer

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what studies her Department has commissioned into the effectiveness of the examination of deer by (a) stalkers and (b) butchers in identifying cases of bovine TB in culled deer intended for human consumption. [202024] Mr. Bradshaw: Carcases of farmed deer slaughtered for venison production are subject to full red meat inspection procedures by the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS), under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 (as amended). Under the Wild Game Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995, wild and park deer meat intended for export to other EU Member States must also undergo post mortem inspection by the MHS. However, if destined for the UK domestic market and third countries, venison from wild or park deer falls under the umbrella of the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995. These provide for overall supervision of wild game meat production by the Environmental Health Department of the relevant Local (Food) Authority, but require no official meat inspection at all. Some plant operators producing for third country export, or the domestic market, choose to be licensed under the more demanding Wild Game Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995. The present arrangements put the onus on the person carrying out the evisceration to detect and report any signs of TB. No studies have been commissioned into the effectiveness of these procedures in identifying cases of bovine TB. The risk of humans contracting bovine TB from meat is considered to be very low. A new EC Regulation coming into force on 1 January 2006 will require persons who hunt wild game with a view to placing it on the market for human consumption to have sufficient knowledge of the pathology of wild game and on the production and handling of wild game and wild game meat after hunting. Training will have to be provided to the satisfaction of the Competent Authority (Food Standards Agency).

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

202024; 428 c799W

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Deer Inspections Disease control EU action Bovine tuberculosis Venison

Link

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