Day 077 - 25 Jan 95 - Page 35


     
     1   Q.   Please turn over -----
     2
     3   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Mr. Rampton, it was said that the audit forms
     4        are not shown to the abattoir and the question was in their
     5        completed form, but do the abattoirs have copies of your
     6        audit forms so that they can see ---
     7        A.  Yes, the do.
     8
     9   Q.   -- the kind of checks that you have in mind?
    10        A.  Yes.  They also have an explanation letter when they
    11        were issued.
    12
    13   MR. RAMPTON:  I was going to do that in a much more round about
    14        way, I am afraid, but your Lordship has really answered my
    15        next question.  (To the witness):  Just turn quickly, will
    16        you, to tab 4, Mr. Walker, of this same pink file, which is
    17        one of your raw material specifications for October 1991.
    18        We will come back to this in much more detail when we get
    19        on to food safety.  If you turn over to the first page of
    20        text which is page 44 of the file, there is a section
    21        headed:  "Pre and postmortem treatment."  2.1 says:
    22         "Animals must not be unduly stressed and must be
    23        adequately layeraged whilst awaiting slaughter", and there
    24        is a reference to an Act of Parliament and some
    25        regulations.
    26
    27        My question was going to be, how do the slaughterhouses
    28        know of your detailed requirements in fulfilment of this
    29        condition in the specification.  You have answered that
    30        they are shown blank forms.  Is there any other means by
    31        which you animal welfare concerns are communicated to them?
    32        A.  Yes, but it is long and involved.  We all the time are
    33        being approached by people who wish to be suppliers to
    34        McKey.  For anyone to become a supplier of McKey involves a
    35        very long, detailed vetting procedure.  It involves members
    36        of their management coming to McKey and being told what we
    37        require.  It involves not just the person concerned in
    38        inspection but the Group Technical Officer himself going
    39        out to that new supplier before that supplier is listed.
    40        There is a great deal of explanation goes on.
    41
    42   Q.   If one of your chaps is down there, the supplier has the
    43        audit form, may there be a discussion about this or that
    44        item on the form about what it means, what they are
    45        required to do, and that kind of thing?
    46        A.  Absolutely.
    47
    48   Q.   Have you read the report prepared by Dr. Neville Gregory
    49        from Bristol University, as he then was -- he has now gone
    50        to New Zealand -- relating to the abattoir at Midland Meat 
    51        Packers in Northampton? 
    52        A.  Yes. 
    53
    54   Q.   And the other one which he called "B" which is, in fact,
    55        Jarrets abattoir down in the West Country?
    56        A.  Yes, I have.
    57
    58   Q.   Have you visited those abattoirs?
    59        A.  Oh, yes, many times.
    60

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