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Tuberculosis Organisms in Milk and Cheese
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether it is possible to detect tuberculosis organisms in milk and cheese.[HL650]
The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Donoughue): Yes. There are procedures to detect Mycobacterium bovis in milk and cheese. However, the nature of microbiological testing is that it cannot give complete assurance of food safety.
Meat Hygiene Directive
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is their estimate of the effects on the meat production and processing industries of the requirement that abattoir owners strictly adhere to the Meat Hygiene Directive 91/497 and of the recent Government decision that they should bear the cost for disposal of all specified risk material; and what consequences this will have for domestic beef, lamb and pork production by sector.[HL673]
Lord Donoughue: Based on the current size and structure of the meat production and processing industry in Great Britain, it is estimated by the Meat Hygiene Service that it will be necessary to secure the services of an additional 300 Official Veterinary Surgeons in order to bring veterinary supervision levels in licensed fresh red meat and poultry meat plants (i.e. slaughterhouses, cutting plants and cold stores) up to the levels required by the EU meat hygiene Directives. In accordance with EU rules, the costs of this additional veterinary supervision, estimated at £21 million in a full year, will have to be recovered from plant operators in the normal way. However, given the shortage of veterinarians willing to undertake meat hygiene work in the UK, full compliance with EU requirements is not possible immediately and it may be some years before the required levels and frequency of veterinary supervision is achieved in all licensed plants.
The industry already bears the cost of disposal of all SRM and has done so since the relevant controls were introduced in 1989. The Government have recently announced their intention of charging industry for the enforcement of these controls. The cost to industry is estimated to be £21.5 million in the first year. It is not possible to give separate figures for the beef and lamb sectors.
The effect of these increased costs will be to reduce producer incomes and to encourage further rationalisation in the primary production and meat slaughtering sector. However, since the throughput of any plant closures will be taken up by those plants remaining in business, there should be no effect on overall beef, lamb and pork supplies.
Organophosphate Sheep Dips: Adverse Reactions
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many suspected adverse reactions to organophosphate sheep dips have been reported to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate for each year since
- 1994 by (a) general medicinal practitioners (b) the Health and Safety Directorate and (c) self reporting.[HL671]
Lord Donoughue: The number of reports received in each year since 1994 of human suspected adverse reactions to OP sheep dips are as follows:
| Reports from | Number |
| 1994 | |
| Doctors | 6 |
| HSE | 3 |
| General Public | 12 |
| Farmers | 14 |
| Company | 7 |
| State Veterinary Service | 1 |
| NPIS | 1 |
| Total | 44 |
| 1995 | |
| Doctors | 4 |
| HSE/EMAS | 5 |
| General Public | 4 |
| Farmers | 21 |
| County Council | 1 |
| Company | 4 |
| Veterinary Surgeon | 1 |
| Total | 40 |
| 1996 | |
| Doctors | 2 |
| HSE/EMAS | 6 |
| General Public | 3 |
| Farmers | 13 |
| Fatstock Officer | 1 |
| Company | 2 |
| Total | 27 |
| 1997 | |
| Doctors | 1 |
| HSE/EMAS | 0 |
| General Public | 4 |
| Farmers | 18 |
| Company | 7 |
| Total | 30 |
| 1998 | |
| Doctors | 0 |
| HSE/EMAS | 1 |
| General Public | 1 |
| Farmers | 9 |
| Animal Health Inspectors | 1 |
| Company | 5 |
| Total | 17 |
HSE = Health and Safety Executive.
EMAS = Employment Medical Advisory Service.
NPIS = National Poison Information Service.