asked Her Majesty’s Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Darzi of Denham on 21 April (WA 214), saying that spines removed by vacuum are randomly checked, why all United Kingdom sheep over the age of 12 months have their spinal columns split and are individually checked. [HL3655]
All consignments of fresh meat imported into the United Kingdom are subject to random inspection to check they are compliant with the relevant legislation.
It is the responsibility of the member state of origin to health mark each individual carcase as fit for human consumption, which indicates compliance with the Community (Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy) Regulations and that all appropriate specified risk material has been removed. In the UK, we have taken the view that currently the only fully effective method of removing spinal cord from sheep over 12 months of age is by splitting the carcase first so that both the food business operator and enforcement officers can clearly see whether or not spinal cord remains present.
As I mentioned in my earlier Answers, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has advised the department that it is currently examining the effectiveness of alternative methods of removing spinal cord and verifying removal that do not require the carcase to be split. This will involve witnessing these alternative methods in action. The FSA has advised the department that they will arrange to meet with industry representatives to discuss the issue once their initial investigations have been completed.
asked Her Majesty's Government:
What influence they expect to have on any decisions of the European Union on the registration and traceability of sheep, in view of the United Kingdom having the largest sheep flock in the European Union. [HL3657]
The Government are in regular contact with the European Commission and other member states on the registration and traceability of sheep. We are working, in conjunction with UK stakeholders, to secure amendments to the legislation that reduces the burden on the UK sheep industry, consistent with our objectives of ensuring that livestock disease can be identified and eradicated as quickly and efficiently as possible.
asked Her Majesty's Government:
(a) what measurable improvements in traceability and disease control would result from the introduction of identification of sheep through electronic implants; (b) to what extent this would improve traceability beyond the existing double-tagging regime; and (c) to what extent this would assist the elimination of the disease in light of the fact that the main vectors remain wind, wild animals and humans. [HL3658]
The only electronic implants provided for by EC Council Regulation 21/2004 are ruminal boluses. We have not produced a cost benefit analysis to consider the impact of ruminal boluses.