Roger Williams MP in campaign to save small abattoirs

Brecon & Radnorshire's Liberal Democrat MP and Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Roger Williams, is to raise the plight of small abattoirs in Parliament in the wake of changes to be made by the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) to its inspection charges. The MHS is proposing to levy an hourly flat-rate charge rather than the current per-carcass charge, a move that will see massive increases in charges on small abattoirs at a time when they are already struggling with increased costs and ever-increasing regulation.

On a visit to WJ George & Son, a small abattoir and butcher shop in Talgarth in his constituency, Mr. Williams said:

"Local abattoirs like this one provide an essential service to both farmers and consumers. Slaughtering animals close to their farms of origin is better for the animals' welfare and better for consumers, as it provides high quality meat with better traceability. These businesses also provide vital local employment in rural communities and many, including this one, have a retail butcher shop attached."

"Meat inspection and environmental health charges are already a significant burden on these businesses and we have recently seen many small abattoirs go out of business across Wales and the UK as a result. These proposed changes from the MHS will only make matters much worse."

"I have already raised this issue with Elin Jones AM, Rural Affairs Minister in Wales, and she is very sympathetic to my concerns. However, there needs to be intervention from the UK Government to prevent these changes and I will be raising this matter with Ministers in London at the earliest opportunity"