The Food Standards Agency (FSA) does not hold this information. The FSA cannot recommend or advocate to industry any particular laboratory for the analysis of meat products for the presence of horse DNA. The FSA can confirm however, that some industry testing has been undertaken outside of the United Kingdom.

It has not been possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the right hon. Member for North Shropshire (Mr Paterson), has had regular catch-up meetings with representatives from the devolved Administrations since 16 January to discuss the specific issue of horse and pig DNA found in meat products.

I had a telephone meeting with members of the devolved Administrations on 13 February, which the Secretary of State followed up on 15 February.

Representatives of the devolved Administrations were also present at the Agricultural Council on 25 February.

DEFRA and the Food Standards Agencies in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland meet regularly to discuss issues related to food labelling and provenance, to exchange information and to co-ordinate our work on common areas of interest. DEFRA, the FSA and devolved Administrations have had senior level contact since 16 January.

The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and its contracted food supplier cannot confirm how many prisoners may have received the contaminated halal beef pastry products from the batches that tested positive for traces of porcine DNA. There is no evidence that any of the halal beef pastry products other than in those batches tested were contaminated.

Following the Food Safety Authority of Ireland's announcement of the discovery of horse DNA traces within consumer beef products the MOJ instigated a product review through its primary supplier. This led to the testing of a small number of halal beef pastry products which were immediately quarantined. The initial result of these qualitative tests confirmed the presence of porcine DNA within some batch samples of halal beef pies, pasties and sausage rolls.

The MOJ, working with the National Offender Management Service, commissioned through its contracted supplier further testing of additional products to ascertain any further contamination. Any additional tests are to

ensure the complete integrity across the MOJ product range to enable it to meet the religious needs of all prisoners.

The MOJ only purchases halal food products from suppliers that are certified by halal certification authorities and in the case of the contaminated food the Halal Food Authority. Once aware of a potential risk of contamination in its supply chain, the MOJ responded rapidly and robustly by immediately quarantining the products identified and instructing its supplier to perform precautionary tests. The MOJ also instructed its contracted food supplier to stop supply of products from the sub-contractor responsible for supplying the halal products at issue and to remove those products from the supply chain to the Prison Service.

The current contracts for the provision of food to prisons began in October 2012. The first known halal beef products contaminated with pork were supplied to prisons in England and Wales in October 2012, with the last delivery made in January 2013. The MOJ was first made aware of the contamination on 18 January and the products were immediately quarantined. 95 prisons have received halal savoury products from the range of potentially contaminated products via the national food contract.

These products were produced in batches. However, it has not yet been confirmed how many batches were produced between the period October 2012 and January 2013 and of these which batches were contaminated and subsequently supplied into prisons.

Until this information is known, the MOJ cannot confirm the number of prison sites which may have been affected. The information available to the MOJ from our supplier will not determine which sites actually received contaminated products with complete certainty as the goods will have been consumed and the packaging discarded.

During its initial investigation of halal beef pastry products the MOJ quarantined beef pies, pasties and sausage rolls. Initial test results identified porcine DNA contamination in halal beef pies and pasties and it was later identified in sausage rolls. These were all quarantined immediately following the review and remained on quarantine until receipt and analysis of test results.

The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling), has instructed that further random testing take place. 33 products were tested and three tested positive for turkey contamination, of the three positive tests, two were halal.

Once the results of the turkey-contamination were received by NOMS/MOJ, immediate action was taken to quarantine the products to prevent further usage within prisons.

Our supplier has given categorical assurance that the very low level of turkey contamination is from halal turkey and from an appropriately certificated halal processing plant.

Concurrently, NOMS/MOJ are carrying out independent testing on two minced beef products (one halal, one non-halal) to test for the presence of horsemeat following an alert by 3663 on 8 March. These products have already been quarantined and will not re-enter the supply chain. The test results are due in early April.

Meat from animals slaughtered in New Zealand has been supplied to the National Offender Management Service since the start of the new catering contract in October 2012.

The discovery of horse DNA in products labelled as beef is completely unacceptable. Findus were represented at the meeting held by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 18 February with food industry leaders. At that meeting it was agreed that food businesses and Government had to work together to restore consumer confidence in the UK food industry.

It is the responsibility of food businesses across the supply chain to ensure that food is correctly described and ingredients are as stated on the label. Investigations into cases where horsemeat has been discovered will continue.

DEFRA does not have figures relating to the sourcing of food by each Government Department. However, figures relating to DEFRA's own contract show that between July and December last year 100% of (a) beef, (b) lamb, and (c) uncured pork was UK sourced or produced. Bacon was sourced from the UK and the European Union.

The Food Standards Agency advise me that the cost for the sampling of processed and frozen meat by local authorities is approximately £300 for each sample.

Analytical costs are £250 plus a sample handling fee of £50, which is paid to the local authority taking the sample. The Food Standards Agency has also paid an additional £250 for a quick turnaround of samples which are part of phases one to three.

Products found to contain horse DNA at or above the 1% threshold and withdrawn from sale have and will continue to be named in Food Standards Agency (FSA) reports and published on the FSA website at:

www.food.gov.uk

as soon as the results are verified and confirmed.

In addition to those instances where gross contamination with horsemeat has been detected, either through industry testing or otherwise, retailers have on occasion taken a commercial decision to withdraw products that may be indirectly implicated, for example, where manufactured in a plant where adulterated product has been found. The FSA does not keep a register of such withdrawals, but some retailers have listed these products on their websites.

The Food Standards Agency undertook a one week survey in approved slaughterhouses in September 2011. The survey indicated that the number of animals slaughtered by Halal and Kosher methods during the survey period were as follows:

During the survey period, it was found that three per cent of cattle, 10% of sheep and goats and 4% of poultry were slaughtered without prior stunning. The survey also showed that over 80% of animals slaughtered as Halal were stunned before being slaughtered.

DEFRA consulted on measures to implement Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 (on the protection of animals at the time of killing) during September and October 2012. Although outside the scope of the consultation, many consultees confirmed their support for the introduction of method of slaughter labelling. We are currently considering the responses received and will be publishing a summary of the responses together with the Government's response to all the points made. Separately, DEFRA has, and continues to receive, a regular flow of correspondence on this issue from members of the public and others with an interest.

We do not keep records of the proportion of meat consumed according to method of slaughter applied.

I discussed method of slaughter labelling with representatives of the British Veterinary Association at a meeting on 7 March 2013. Labelling was also one of the topics raised during a meeting between DEFRA, Food Standards Agency and Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) officials and representatives of the Jewish and Muslim Communities which took place on 14 March 2013. DEFRA officials also attended a meeting with the Sikh Council UK on 27 February 2013 which was hosted by DCLG, and which discussed method of slaughter labelling issues.

I have no specific plans at this time for further meetings to discuss this issue with any of the other groups mentioned in this question. However, I do maintain regular contact with them and this will provide an opportunity for further discussion of this topic if appropriate.

I have no plans to undertake a review of the estimate of non-stun before slaughter practices in abattoirs. However, I understand the Food Standards Agency Board has agreed to repeat the survey of approved slaughterhouses which was undertaken in September 2011. It is anticipated this will take place in September 2013. This will provide further information on the extent of non-stun slaughter practices.

There is currently no legal requirement in European Union or national law to indicate method of slaughter on meat labels. However, where meat is labelled voluntarily to show method of slaughter, this must be accurate and must not mislead the consumer. We have no information to show the proportion of meat sold in the United Kingdom from animals which have not been stunned before slaughter.

The Government supported the compromise agreement reached in the context of proposals for the European Union Food Information for Consumers Regulation 1169/2011, that method of slaughter labelling should be considered by the EU Commission in a welfare context. The Government will be working with the Commission to ensure all measures that help minimise the suffering of animals slaughtered without stunning are considered.

The Food Standards Agency has been working with a number of police forces and it has been agreed that the economic crime directorate of the City of London police will be the lead force subject to final confirmation of their terms of reference.

The Food Standards Agency is responsible for investigating incidents of misleading labelling and food fraud. Both Sodexo and Brakes are providing the FSA with information on their supply chain and are co-operating fully with the FSA's investigation.