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Horsemeat scandal: PM says criminals will face law Horsemeat scandal: PM says criminals will face law
(35 minutes later)
Prime Minister David Cameron has promised the "full intervention of the law" will be brought to bear on those who have passed off horsemeat as beef.Prime Minister David Cameron has promised the "full intervention of the law" will be brought to bear on those who have passed off horsemeat as beef.
He was speaking after a meat firm near Aberystwyth and a slaughterhouse in West Yorkshire were raided by the Food Standards Agency and police.He was speaking after a meat firm near Aberystwyth and a slaughterhouse in West Yorkshire were raided by the Food Standards Agency and police.
An EU meeting about the horsemeat crisis is taking place in Brussels.An EU meeting about the horsemeat crisis is taking place in Brussels.
Meanwhile, a Glasgow firm has been named as the source of the Waitrose beef meatballs which may contain pork.Meanwhile, a Glasgow firm has been named as the source of the Waitrose beef meatballs which may contain pork.
Speaking on his way to the EU meeting, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said: "This has come up very rapidly. Nobody had a clue that there was adulteration of beef products. It looked like very small amounts.Speaking on his way to the EU meeting, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said: "This has come up very rapidly. Nobody had a clue that there was adulteration of beef products. It looked like very small amounts.
"What changed the whole thing onto a completely different plain was the revelation from Luxembourg of significant amounts of horse. That has changed the whole argument." "What changed the whole thing onto a completely different plane was the revelation from Luxembourg of significant amounts of horse. That has changed the whole argument."
'True picture''True picture'
Mr Paterson added that "the quicker we get this resolved the quicker we can get confidence established".Mr Paterson added that "the quicker we get this resolved the quicker we can get confidence established".
The environment secretary is meeting his counterparts from the Irish Republic, France, Romania, Luxembourg, Sweden and Poland.The environment secretary is meeting his counterparts from the Irish Republic, France, Romania, Luxembourg, Sweden and Poland.
Meanwhile, the prime minister of Romania, where two abattoirs are alleged to have sold horsemeat purported to be beef to European food companies, has said that the scandal is a continent-wide problem.
Victor Ponta told BBC Two's Newsnight: "This is a very serious European crisis, it's not Romania or British or French it's a European crisis because it affects the absolute right of European customers to trust the food, to trust products and know exactly what kind of food it is and where it comes from."
Referring to the allegations, he added: "We have checked all data we had up to now regarding the plants and the way the meat has been processed, and up to now haven't found any irregularities."
Wholesaler Makro is the latest firm to announce that a "trace of horse" has been found in a brand of beef burgers. The firm had removed all frozen beef burgers from sale in January in order to test them.Wholesaler Makro is the latest firm to announce that a "trace of horse" has been found in a brand of beef burgers. The firm had removed all frozen beef burgers from sale in January in order to test them.
"One brand Unger beef burgers 48/4oz supplied by Silvercrest Foods did contain a trace of horse. We no longer sell the Unger product," a spokesman said."One brand Unger beef burgers 48/4oz supplied by Silvercrest Foods did contain a trace of horse. We no longer sell the Unger product," a spokesman said.
The horsemeat scandal began last month when Irish authorities discovered horsemeat in some burgers stocked by a number of UK supermarket chains.The horsemeat scandal began last month when Irish authorities discovered horsemeat in some burgers stocked by a number of UK supermarket chains.
Horsemeat has also been found in branded and supermarket-own ready meals, including lasagne and spaghetti bolognese. Some Findus frozen beef lasagne, made by a French food processing company, were found to have up to 100% horsemeat in them.Horsemeat has also been found in branded and supermarket-own ready meals, including lasagne and spaghetti bolognese. Some Findus frozen beef lasagne, made by a French food processing company, were found to have up to 100% horsemeat in them.
The crisis has spread across Europe as details of the convoluted supply chain in the meat industry emerged.
The FSA in the UK has ordered food businesses to carry out tests on all processed beef products and the first results are expected on Friday. They are testing for the presence of horsemeat and pork.The FSA in the UK has ordered food businesses to carry out tests on all processed beef products and the first results are expected on Friday. They are testing for the presence of horsemeat and pork.
'Contradictory results'
During Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Cameron defended the government's response to the growing scandal, saying it was insisting on "meaningful" tests of products by retailers and suppliers.During Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Cameron defended the government's response to the growing scandal, saying it was insisting on "meaningful" tests of products by retailers and suppliers.
He said retailers were ultimately responsible for what they "put on their shelves".He said retailers were ultimately responsible for what they "put on their shelves".
More than 12 food firms met Food Minister David Heath on Wednesday and they reassured him their tests would be completed by Friday.More than 12 food firms met Food Minister David Heath on Wednesday and they reassured him their tests would be completed by Friday.
Shadow environment secretary Mary Creagh said she wanted Mr Paterson to come back from Brussels having secured a European-wide testing regime. Shadow environment secretary Mary Creagh said she wanted Mr Paterson to come back from Brussels having secured a European-wide testing regime because "it's clear this is not just a UK or an Irish problem".
"It's clear this is not just a UK problem or an Irish problem," she said. "About 16 countries have received defective products from Findus and are recalling them.
"In order to build a true picture of how far the adulteration has gone, other European countries have to start the testing we have done here."
'Cutting up'
The FSA also ordered an audit of all horse-producing abattoirs in the UK. There are five abattoirs operating that are licensed to slaughter horses in the UK and last year 8,500 carcasses were exported to Italy, France and Belgium. It is not illegal to sell correctly-labelled horsemeat in the UK but there is no demand for it.The FSA also ordered an audit of all horse-producing abattoirs in the UK. There are five abattoirs operating that are licensed to slaughter horses in the UK and last year 8,500 carcasses were exported to Italy, France and Belgium. It is not illegal to sell correctly-labelled horsemeat in the UK but there is no demand for it.
FSA director of operations Andrew Rhodes told the BBC the raids on Tuesday were a result of those investigations, and his officers had returned to the premises on Wednesday morning. The FSA suspended operations at both raided premises and seized paperwork.FSA director of operations Andrew Rhodes told the BBC the raids on Tuesday were a result of those investigations, and his officers had returned to the premises on Wednesday morning. The FSA suspended operations at both raided premises and seized paperwork.
"What we found was a quantity of horsemeat sent to a factory in west Wales and used in beef products when it shouldn't have been," he said.
What is not known is whether it was deliberate or a mistake, he added
The raided premises were Peter Boddy Licensed Slaughterhouse, in Todmorden, West Yorkshire, and Farmbox Meats Ltd, of Llandre near Aberystwyth.The raided premises were Peter Boddy Licensed Slaughterhouse, in Todmorden, West Yorkshire, and Farmbox Meats Ltd, of Llandre near Aberystwyth.
The West Yorkshire plant is thought to have supplied horse carcasses to the Aberystwyth firm, which were then allegedly sold on as beef for kebabs and burgers.
Mr Boddy said he was co-operating with the FSA and officials were "welcome to visit" his premises whenever they wanted.Mr Boddy said he was co-operating with the FSA and officials were "welcome to visit" his premises whenever they wanted.
The FSA has stressed that horsemeat does not pose a health risk to the public.The FSA has stressed that horsemeat does not pose a health risk to the public.
However, there have been concerns that if unregulated horsemeat is substituted for beef it could expose people to the veterinary drug phenylbutazone. Animals treated with the drug - often called "bute" - are not allowed to enter the food chainHowever, there have been concerns that if unregulated horsemeat is substituted for beef it could expose people to the veterinary drug phenylbutazone. Animals treated with the drug - often called "bute" - are not allowed to enter the food chain
The government has confirmed there were nine positive tests for bute in horsemeat slaughtered in the UK last year. In the last four years, a total of 15 positive bute samples have been taken from horsemeat in abattoirs.The government has confirmed there were nine positive tests for bute in horsemeat slaughtered in the UK last year. In the last four years, a total of 15 positive bute samples have been taken from horsemeat in abattoirs.
Dafydd Raw Rees, of Farmbox Meats, said the firm was licensed to deal with horses and it had been cutting horsemeat, from the Republic of Ireland for export to Belgium, for the last three weeks.Dafydd Raw Rees, of Farmbox Meats, said the firm was licensed to deal with horses and it had been cutting horsemeat, from the Republic of Ireland for export to Belgium, for the last three weeks.
"I get paid to do the cutting up. We don't do kebabs, mincemeat or beef burgers. This is not a processing plant," he said.
Waitrose said it had checked 40 meat products in light of the horsemeat scandal and tests on the meatballs had produced "contradictory results".Waitrose said it had checked 40 meat products in light of the horsemeat scandal and tests on the meatballs had produced "contradictory results".
Their own Essential frozen British beef meatballs, which were found to possibly contain pork, were produced at the ABP Foods-owned Freshlink factory.Their own Essential frozen British beef meatballs, which were found to possibly contain pork, were produced at the ABP Foods-owned Freshlink factory.
A spokeswoman for ABP said: "Freshlink has carried out over 450 DNA tests during the last two-and-a-half years. All our test results have been confirmed as negative for non-declared species."A spokeswoman for ABP said: "Freshlink has carried out over 450 DNA tests during the last two-and-a-half years. All our test results have been confirmed as negative for non-declared species."