Future of MHS to be decided

The future of the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS), whose vets currently oversee inspections at abattoirs and primary meat processing plants, will emerge at the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA’s) open Board meeting next month when it decides which of two options for change are preferred.

While two options are on the table - a transformed MHS and independent control bodies - whatever structure is adopted, progressive privatisation of inspection activities seems inevitable to reduce the £30M government subsidy the MHS currently receives.

Speaking to the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) last month, FSA chief executive John Harwood said the agency would be looking for improved cost effective solutions from the body that ends up providing meat inspection services. “We’ll also be looking for incentives, like earned autonomy, for responsible businesses to minimise - or at least better control - their costs,” he said.

However, processors are unhappy about having to shoulder the risk and additional cost burden of carrying out this work.

BMPA president and md of Tulip UK Gerry Finley said the reforms proposed “lacked substance”. “We cannot relax standards of public safety, nor can we accept £31M of deficit into our industry,” he complained.

Looking to the future, Harwood expected self assessment to become the norm: “Why does the preparation of complex ready meals take place with manufacturers taking full responsibility for the product, while for slaughter and cutting meat, the state actively supervises the process?” he asked. While he accepted it was currently a European requirement, he added: “At some point this will have to be faced.”