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Official Veterinary Surgeons: Qualifications
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether they will specify in which European directives and which United Kingdom Acts of Parliament the standards of training for Official Veterinary Surgeons are set out.[HL2098]
Lord Donoughue: European Community Directives 78/1026/EEC and 78/1027/EEC set out the freedom of movement and rights of establishment of veterinary surgeons within the European Union. This allows for graduates of recognised veterinary schools to practise anywhere within the European Union. The directives are enacted within the United Kingdom by the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (as amended).
In addition, all Official Veterinary Surgeons, employed or contracted to the Meat Hygiene Service, are required to undertake the official Veterinary Surgeon accreditation course.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What training is given to non-United Kingdom, European Union national veterinary surgeons appointed to posts within the Official Veterinary Service in United Kingdom law enforcement practice before they take up their appointments; and what is the duration of the training and the level of competence these Official Veterinary Surgeons are required to demonstrate before they commence their duties.[HL2099]
Lord Donoughue: All Official Veterinary Surgeons, employed or contracted to the Meat Hygiene Service, are required to undertake the Official Veterinary Surgeon accreditation course. This includes training in the requirements of the relevant UK legislation and its enforcement. The course comprises one week of formal training (consisting of lectures, tutorials and workshops) and three weeks' practical training in licensed premises.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What measures are taken to ensure that non-United Kingdom, European Union national veterinary surgeons appointed to posts within the Official Veterinary Service demonstrate written and oral English language skills of a standard necessary for them to carry out their duties effectively.[HL2100]
Lord Donoughue: All prospective Official Veterinary Surgeons (OVSs) of foreign national origin are required to demonstrate an ability to communicate effectively in English, both oral and written, before designation as OVSs by the Minister of Agriculture. The ability of prospective OVSs to understand and communicate in English is assessed during the OVS training course.
OVSs must also be appointed as Local Veterinary Inspectors of MAFF. The appointment involves further face to face training with the local Divisional Veterinary Manager (DVM) of the State Veterinary Service. This provides a further opportunity for the DVM to be satisfied that the applicant possesses sufficient communication skills in English to carry out their duties effectively.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether knowledge of the "hierarchy of enforcement" set out in the training manual of the Meat Hygiene Service personnel is a mandatory requirement for non-United Kingdom, European Union national veterinary surgeons appointed to posts as Official Veterinary Surgeons; and whether conformity with this "hierarchy of enforcement" is a mandatory requirement for Official Veterinary Surgeons in United Kingdom abattoir practice.[HL2101]
Lord Donoughue: The hierarchy of enforcement action to ensure plant operators comply with legislative requirements is clearly set out in the Meat Hygiene Service's operations manual. It starts with informal verbal advice and warnings escalating through written advice, the service of formal statutory notices and ultimately to prosecution of an individual or company and/or action by the Agriculture Departments to revoke the establishment licence. The operations manual is a working document that provides instructions and guidance to MHS staff. All OVSs are required to follow the instructions included in the manual.
However, immediate severe enforcement action may be taken in more serious cases (e.g. where there is a serious risk to public health; in cases of animal welfare abuse or breaches of the Specified Risk Material controls).
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether Official Veterinary Surgeons appointed to posts in United Kingdom abattoirs are authorised in person to issue legal prohibition notices, improvement notices and other statutory enforcement tools; and whether junior veterinary surgeons are so authorised when appointed as Official Veterinary Surgeons.[HL2124]
Lord Donoughue: When appointed, all Official Veterinary Surgeons are individually authorised to carry out various enforcement responsibilities. These include powers of entry, inspection of animals and meat, taking samples, detention of meat, application of the health mark, seizure of unfit meat, service and withdrawal of statutory notices.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Whether, before they serve prohibition notices, improvement notices and other statutory enforcement tools, junior veterinary surgeons appointed as Official Veterinary Surgeons in United Kingdom abattoirs are required to consult senior veterinary surgeons or other Meat Hygiene Service personnel.[HL2125]
Lord Donoughue: The Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) operates a hierarchy of enforcement action starting with informal verbal advice and warnings escalating through written advice, the service of formal statutory notices and ultimately to prosecution of an individual or company and/or action by the Agriculture Departments
to revoke a licence. Official Veterinary Surgeons (OVSs) appointed to licensed premises have authority to undertake a range of these enforcement activities without prior consultation with their senior officers. This includes the service of statutory notices, including improvement notices. However, the service of an improvement notice must be preceded by a "minded to" notice which enables the occupier to make representations about the intended improvement notice action.OVSs must consult with their Principal Official Veterinary Surgeon in certain circumstances, particularly before serving an emergency prohibition notice, in instances where enforcement action has failed to bring about correction of deficiencies, or if they have doubts as to the correct course of action to take.
Any requests for investigation of individual plant operators/companies with a view to prosecution must be agreed by the MHS Director of Operations before being passed to MAFF Investigation Branch for investigation. MAFF lawyers will then decide whether or not to proceed with a particular case on the basis of the evidence gathered.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Why, if the costs of employing Official Veterinary Surgeons in the United Kingdom are higher because the costs of British veterinary surgeons are higher than the costs of veterinary surgeons in other European Union countries, charges to abattoir owners are not reduced when veterinary surgeons trained in other European Union countries are employed by the Meat Hygiene Service.[HL2126]
Lord Donoughue: The majority of Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) Official Veterinary Surgeons (OVSs) are supplied on contract, obtained by means of national competitive tendering procedures. This is fully in line with government purchasing policy and ensures that the MHS obtains value for money and that plant operators are provided with the most cost effective service.
The hourly cost of contract OVSs as charged to meat plants varies considerably depending on a number of factors, including the size and type of organisation which submits the tender bid, the level of competition for the work, the standards within the licensed premises; the number of in-plant OVS hours required; plant location and hence travel time, as well as OVS salary and other incidental costs.
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How many Official Veterinary Surgeons employed by the Meat Hygiene Service are specifically qualified to carry out meat inspection tasks; and how many actually carry out these tasks.[HL2127]
Lord Donoughue: By virtue of their veterinary undergraduate course, all Official Veterinary Surgeons employed by, or contracted to, the Meat Hygiene Service are qualified to carry out meat inspection tasks. In line with EU and GB statutory requirements, all Official Veterinary Surgeons, assisted where appropriate by Meat Hygiene Inspectors, carry out meat inspection duties.
E.coli and Use of Organic Waste on Land
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What is the normal life of E.coli bacteria outside host animals; whether the organisms of E.coli 0157 are destroyed by the heat generated by the rotting process in farmyard manure; and whether the organisms continue to be viable after farm or human slurry is spread to land.[HL2147]
Lord Donoughue: The Government are carrying out a structured programme of research and risk assessment on the use of all organic wastes on land. This work will provide information relating to the survival of E.coli, including E.coli 0157, in farmyard manure and in farm slurry and human sewage sludge applied to land.
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