Day 079 - 27 Jan 95 - Page 31


     
     1   Q.   On site?
     2        A.  Yes -- not on site.  It has to have access to the
     3        laboratories.
     4
     5   Q.   You say "access to the laboratories"; how often would they
     6        be expected to use the services of the laboratory?
     7        A.  I do not know.  That would be on their local LVO, the
     8        local veterinary officers.
     9
    10   Q.   So, for example, that is not something which McKey's would
    11        ever check up on?  For example, ask a question:  "When was
    12        the last time you sent anything to a laboratory?"  Answer:
    13         "Three years ago".  "That is fine by us"?
    14        A.  Well, that is a ridiculous statement because an EEC
    15        licence is granted annually, and it is granted under the
    16        authority of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and
    17        Food.
    18
    19   Q.   Is it a condition of that that you are using laboratory
    20        services regularly?
    21        A.  It is a condition of it that the abattoir concerned
    22        meets the beef and veal directive.
    23
    24   Q.   That includes the use of laboratory services?
    25        A.  Thinking from memory, I think it says "must have access
    26        to".
    27
    28   Q.   Yes, but anybody in the world has access to a laboratory if
    29        they pay for it, have they not?
    30        A.  Well, I do not write the law that comes out of
    31        Brussels.  I am only quoting it to you.
    32
    33   Q.   Yes, but you have said in your statements: "... Each
    34        abbatoir has its own veterinary surgeons, laboratories and
    35        Environmental Health Officers"?
    36        A.  Yes.
    37
    38   Q.   So you, obviously, feel they are three important quality
    39        control components?
    40        A.  Yes.
    41
    42   Q.   So would you be happy with a supplier who did not make use
    43        of laboratory services, for example?
    44        A.  I would be happy as long as my meat was delivered with
    45        the professional signature of a veterinary officer on the
    46        documents saying that it had been inspected and passed as
    47        standard, yes, and had come from an EEC approved abattoir
    48        and an EEC approved boning room.
    49
    50   Q.   When the EEC approves an abattoir, is it not a fact that 
    51        they are partly saying the conditions, as presently exist, 
    52        are acceptable or that they are satisfied that improvements 
    53        to their standards, up to their standards, have been
    54        promised to be made?
    55        A.  The MAFF investigation and the veterinary investigation
    56        of MAFF under certain circumstances having established that
    57        the conditions of the walls, finishes, surfaces, hygiene
    58        are satisfactory, I suppose under a special circumstance,
    59        provided that the person concerned gave an undertaking that
    60        work was in hand, they would pass his licence, yes.

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