| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Local Authority Inspections (Restaurants)
Mr. Waterson: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what national statistics are compiled by his Department in respect of local restaurant inspections carried out by local authorities. [74538]
Mr. Rooker: Statistics on inspections of restaurants and other caterers (as a single category) are compiled by the Ministry from returns submitted by local authorities in the United Kingdom as part of the information for the annual return we are required to make to the Commission under article 14 of the Council Directive on the official control of foodstuffs (89/397/EEC).
A copy of the latest return and summary statistics for the United Kingdom and for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland separately were recently placed in the Library of the House.
Imported Meats (Antibiotics)
Mr. Gray: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the use of antibiotics in imported meats. [74695]
Mr. Rooker: The use of antibiotic feed additives outside the EU and the consequences for imported meats was considered by the Council of Agriculture Ministers and the EU Commission following the recent decision to ban the use of certain antibiotic growth promoters. The Council and Commission issued a joint declaration which emphasises the importance of protecting consumers' health and the need not to prejudice the competitive position of European producers, whilst complying with the Union's international commitments. The Council called for a report from the Commission before 30 June 199 which will examine how to ensure that third countries comply with rules for feed additives, in particular antibiotics, which are at least equivalent to those laid down at Community level.
Live Animal Exports
Mr. Prosser: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to persuade EU partners, when undertaking the review of Council Directive 91/628/EEC required by Article 13 of that Directive, to abandon the long distance transport of live farm animals throughout the European Union and replace such transport with a trade in meat and carcases; and if he will make a statement. [74324]
Mr. Morley:
We attach great importance to this review, which is required to take place this year. We will be pressing the European Commission to bring it forward to time. In contacts with other Member States in the run-up to the review, we shall continue to press the case for reduced journey times to slaughter, for the highest
8 Mar 1999 : Column: 94
welfare standards to be set and our view that a carcase trade is preferable to long distance live transports for slaughter.
Mr. Prosser:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in respect of what proportion of consignments of live sheep exported from the UK he has requested in the last year the competent authorities in other Member States to confirm that the arrangements set out in the route plan for giving animals rest, liquid and food are adhered to; and if he will make a statement. [74322]
Mr. Morley:
Monitoring compliance with route plans once sheep have left Great Britain is the responsibility of the Member States concerned. Officials of this Department maintain contacts with their opposite numbers in the other Member States to try and ensure that there is effective enforcement and that information concerning contraventions is sent back to us. We cannot expect the competent authorities concerned to check on large numbers of consignments nominated by us, but they have helped us on a case by case basis on a small proportion of consignments in the last year. We also look to the European Commission to fulfil its responsibility to ensure that Member States implement and enforce the requirements.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list the major outlets for religiously slaughtered meat not consumed by adherents, indicating how many tonnes entered the food chain for the last year for which figures are available; [73324]
Mr. Morley:
Figures on these matters do not separately distinguish meat produced by the religious slaughter of animals.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many slaughterhouses there are in the UK; how many undertake religious slaughter; and what is the average number of times that (a) slaughterhouses undertaking religious slaughter and (b) other slaughterhouses have been inspected in each of the last two years. [73686]
Mr. Morley:
Details of licensed slaughterhouses in England and Wales are published in the Meat Hygiene Enforcement Report, which is placed in the Library of the House each month. Information is not held on those adopting religious methods of slaughter or the average number of times these methods are used. A member of the Meat Hygiene Service inspection team is present every day during operating periods.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to label religiously slaughtered meat. [73346]
Mr. Morley:
We have no such plans at present.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list for each species the total
8 Mar 1999 : Column: 95
number of animals religiously slaughtered in the UK for the last year for which figures are available. [73484]
Mr. Morley:
Information is not kept separately for the numbers of animals slaughtered by the religious or by other approved methods. The next biennial review of welfare at slaughter standards by the Meat Hygiene Service, which will take place later this year, has been designed to provide information on slaughter practices.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list (a) the breaches of the approved killing methods his inspectors have discovered over the last two years in slaughterhouses undertaking religious slaughter and (b) the penalties imposed on the operators in each case. [73498]
Mr. Morley:
Official Veterinary Surgeons of the Meat Hygiene Service monitor compliance with welfare at slaughter legislation in licensed slaughterhouses daily during operation and take on-the-spot action to put right any problems found. Figures that are available relate to prosecutions, and none of the prosecutions taken under the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 relates to breaches of approved killing methods for religious slaughter.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the approved killing method for each species undergoing religious slaughter. [73320]
Mr. Morley:
When slaughter is by the Jewish or Muslim method the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 provide an exemption from the general requirement for animals to be stunned. Slaughter must be carried out without inflicting unnecessary suffering: in the case of cattle, sheep and goats by the severance of both carotid arteries and both jugular veins by rapid, uninterrupted movements of a knife and, in the case of turkeys, domestic fowl, guinea-fowl, ducks, geese or quail by the severance of both carotid arteries by rapid and uninterrupted movements of a knife.
Mr. Maclean:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the proportion of an animal carcase religiously slaughtered which is consumed by adherents of the religion concerned; and what use is made of remaining edible parts of the carcase. [73483]
Mr. Morley:
The acceptability for consumption of carcases and parts of carcases is a matter for the religious authorities.
8 Mar 1999 : Column: 96
Mr. Livsey:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who (a) commissioned and (b) carried out the tests conducted on Ciba-Geigy maize gluten feed to establish the effects of processing on modified and non-modified genetic material. [74429]
Mr. Rooker:
In 1996, the Ministry commissioned tests at the Laboratory of the Government Chemist on samples of maize gluten feed, specifically to determine the effect of processing on DNA.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to the letter from the Parliamentary Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for Scunthorpe (Mr. Morley), ref 123733, on Japanese whaling, if he will make a statement on the bilateral meeting with Japanese officials held on 8 February. [72895]
Mr. Morley:
Whaling was only one of the issues discussed at the meeting in question; a large number of other environmental issues were discussed. The UK delegation made clear the UK's opposition to Japan's whaling activities, stressing in particular, our disappointment that Japan continues to whale under special permit and to ignore all IWC calls to halt scientific whaling in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary. We emphasised that the UK view does not consider that there is any scientific justification for Japanese scientific whaling and called upon Japan to restructure its research programmes so that its objectives could be achieved by non-lethal means. We also drew attention to the fact that the UK was not alone in expressing these views; a large majority of IWC members have also made clear their opposition to Japanese scientific whaling. Japan reiterated its formal position on this issue. I can assure my hon. Friend that we shall continue to raise this issue with Japan at every appropriate opportunity.
(2) what tonnage of animals religiously slaughtered in Britain in the last year for which figures are available was exported overseas; and to which countries. [73321]
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |