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Green Vegetables
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the percentage change in the consumption of fresh green vegetables from 1980 to 1995. [19294]
Mr. Boswell:
Household consumption of fresh green vegetables fell by 36 per cent. between 1980 and 1995. However, this has been offset by a 5 per cent. increase in the household consumption of other fresh vegetables, excluding potatoes, and a 23 per cent. increase in processed vegetables (table 5.1, page 70 of the National Food Survey, 1995 ISBN 0-11-243014-7 refers).
13 Mar 1997 : Column: 352
Mr. Gordon Prentice:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many authorised meat inspectors were in post on (a) 1 January 1996 and (b) the latest date for which figures are available. [19549]
Mrs. Browning
[holding answer 10 March 1997]: At 1 January 1996, the Meat Hygiene Service employed a total of 972 meat hygiene inspectors.
The Meat Hygiene Service currently employs a total of 1,160 meat hygiene inspectors.
Mr. Donohoe:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much his Department and its executive agencies have spent drafting, publishing and circulating each of their customer charters and customer standard documents; and how many copies of each document have been issued. [19380]
Mr. Boswell:
I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
13 Mar 1997 : Column: 353
Mr. Tony Banks:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what veterinary inspection will be made of animals due to be exported from Dover on the MV Caroline on or about 7 March; and if he will make a statement. [19543]
Mrs. Browning:
The pre-export inspection of animals consists of a visual appraisal and, if deemed appropriate, a physical examination. The purpose of the inspection is to ensure that the animals intended for export comply with Community health requirements, show no signs of infectious or contagious disease and are fit to travel to their intended destination.
Mr. Banks:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the veterinary officers from his Department have investigated the condition of animals transported on the MV Caroline. [19544]
Mrs. Browning:
When animals have been transported from Britain in this ship the operator has received advice about the on-board facilities for animals. Loading of animals into the ship is also supervised, and veterinary and technical experts from this Department have accompanied some voyages.
Miss Hoey:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further action he plans to take following the report of the committee considering the ethical implications of emerging techniques in the breeding of farm animals. [19905]
Mrs. Browning:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Doncaster, North (Mr. Hughes) on 3 February 1997, Official Report, column 513-14.
In addition, following discussions with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, a working party has been set up to look into the role of non-veterinarians in relation to the artificial insemination of cattle and horses. The results of this exercise may affect the way the recommendations of the Banner committee are taken forward in relation to AI. Further action will therefore be considered once the results of the working party are known.
Dr. Strang:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many purpose-built laboratories in Government-funded food and agricultural science establishments are mothballed; and if he will list each establishment with such a laboratory. [19921]
Mr. Douglas Hogg:
No laboratories owned by the Ministry have been mothballed. However, some have been closed permanently as a result of reorganisation and restructuring or following the completion of new or modernised facilities. I have no information about laboratories not owned by the Ministry.
Dr. Strang:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of laboratory capacity in Government-funded food and agricultural
13 Mar 1997 : Column: 354
science establishments built in (a) 1980 to 1985 (b) 1985 to 1990, (c) 1990 to 1995 and (d) 1995 to date, has been mothballed. [19922]
Mr. Hogg:
No laboratories owned by the Ministry have been mothballed. I have no information about laboratories not owned by the Ministry.
Dr. Strang:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the Government-funded food and agricultural science sites vacated since 1980, indicating (a) those in which the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, other research councils and agencies, service or central laboratories retain the freehold or lease, (b) the estimated commercial sales value of each facility and (c) the length of time each has been vacant. [19923]
Mr. Hogg:
Since 1980, the Ministry has vacated, either wholly or in part, the laboratories as listed. Prior to 1990, surplus accommodation was surrendered to the Property Services Agency for reuse by other Government Departments or disposal. I have no information about the way in which such properties may have been reused or disposed of or about their commercial values. The Ministry has not disposed of any laboratories since 1990 although some are due to be sold for redevelopment in the near future.
| Laboratory | Date vacated |
|---|---|
| ADAS Laboratories at Shardlow Hall, Derbyshire | 1986 |
| ADAS Laboratories at Olantigh Road, Wye, Nr Ashford, Kent | 1986 |
| ADAS Laboratories at Coley Park, Reading | 1995 |
| ADAS Laboratories at Starcross Nr Exeter, Devon | 1995 |
| ADAS Laboratories at Brooklands Avenue, Cambridge | 1995 |
| ADAS Laboratories at Lawnswood, Leeds | 1995 |
| ADAS Laboratories at Trawsgoed, Nr Aberystwyth | 1995 |
| Food Science Laboratories at Romeny Street, London SW1 | 1990 |
| Food Science Laboratories at Haldean House, Norwich | 1990 |
| Torry Research Station, Aberdeen | 1996 |
| The Central Science Laboratory, Tolworth, Surrey | 1992 |
| The Central Science Laboratory, Harpenden, Herts | 1996 |
| The Central Science Laboratory, London Road, Slough | 1996 |
| The Central Science Laboratory, Luddington, Warkwickshire | 1996 |
| The Veterinary Investigation Centre, Gabalfa, Cardiff | 1986 |
| The Veterinary Investigation Centre, Chester | 1986 |
| The Veterinary Investigation Centre, Elmbridge Court, Gloucester | 1986 |
| The Veterinary Investigation Centre, Gladstone Road, Northampton | 1986 |
| The Veterinary Investigation Centre, Coley Park, Reading | 1994 |
| The Veterinary Investigation Centre, Lawnswood, Leeds | 1990 |
| The Veterinary Investigation Centre, Riseholme, Lincoln | 1996 |
| The Veterinary Investigation Centre, Madingley Road, Cambridge | 1993 |
| The Veterinary Investigation Centre, Weybridge, Surrey | 1980 |
| The Veterinary Investigation Centre, Jupiter Road, Norwich | 1993 |
| The Veterinary Investigation Centre, Wye Nr Ashford, Kent | 1992 |
| The Veterinary Investigation Centre, Whittington Road, Worcester | 1993 |
| The Veterinary Investigation Centre, Bangor, North Wales | 1991 |
| Horticultural Laboratories at Worthing Road, Littlehampton | 1995 |
Surrendered to the Ministry by Horticulture Research International.
13 Mar 1997 : Column: 355
| New laboratories | Date built |
|---|---|
| The Central Science Laboratory, Sand Hutton York | 1996 |
| The Food Science Laboratory, Colney Lane, Norwich | 1990 |
| The Veterinary Investigation Centre, Bury St. Edmunds | 1993 |
| The Veterinary Investigation Centre, Luddington, Warwickshire | 1993 |
| Rebuilt/refurbished laboratories | Date rebuilt/ refurbished |
|---|---|
| The Veterinary Investigation Centre, Starcross, Devon | 1993 |
| ADAS Laboratory, Wergs Road, Wolverhampton | 1992 |
| The Veterinary Investigation Centre, West House, Thirsk | 1996 |
| The Veterinary Investigation Centre, Calthwaite, Penrith | 1996 |
| The Veterinary Investigation Centre, Sutton Bonnington | 1990 |
| The Veterinary Investigation Centre, Itchen Abbas, Winchester | 1994 |
| The Veterinary Investigation Centre, Barton Hall, Preston | 1985 |
Meat Hygiene Service
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on each case in which an official of the Meat Hygiene Service was dismissed for failing to enforce full compliance with specified bovine material controls in slaughterhouses. [20268]
Mrs. Browning:
It is the Government's policy, explained more fully in their response to the Second Report from the Public Service Committee, Session 1995-96, that the results of internal civil service disciplinary investigations into the conduct of individuals should not be disclosed publicly.
13 Mar 1997 : Column: 356
Mr. Tipping:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place a copy of the national review of standards and practices within the fresh meat industry, prepared by the Meat Hygiene Service hygiene advice teams and referred to in the last annual report of the MHS in the Library. [19733]
Mrs. Browning
[holding answer 11 March 1997]: A copy of the report was placed in the Library of the House on 6 March 1997.
Mr. Tipping:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many meat hygiene inspectors work in Nottinghamshire; and where they are located.[19706]
Mrs. Browning
[holding answer 11 March 1997]: On a full-time equivalent basis, the Meat Hygiene Service--which is responsible for these matters--currently employs 13 full-time meat hygiene inspectors at three licensed fresh meat premises in Nottinghamshire.
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