asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present number of slaughterhouses in use in England and Wales; and to what extent ante-mortem and post-mortem meat inspection is in force therein.

There are about 3,050 slaughterhouses in use at present in England and Wales. Over 90 per cent. of meat is inspected post-mortem. Ante-mortem inspection is not at present general but I recognise that it must be one of the objectives of policy to make it so.