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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 has taken place in Brussels.
Environment Secretary Owen Paterson is meeting his counterparts from several European countries. Environment Secretary Owen Paterson called for DNA testing of processed meat across the European Union.
Speaking on his way to the EU meeting, he said: "This has come up very rapidly. Nobody had a clue that there was adulteration of beef products. It looked like very small amounts. "I think we have a problem that affects all countries across Europe and we need results fast," he said on his way in to the EU meeting,
"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." "Nobody had a clue" until recently that beef products had been adulterated, he said, adding it had initially appeared to involve "very small amounts" of horsemeat.
Mr Paterson added that "the quicker we get this resolved the quicker we can get confidence established". But he said: "What changed the whole thing on to a completely different plane was the revelation from Luxembourg of significant amounts of horse. That has changed the whole argument."
'True picture''True picture'
He is meeting counterparts from the Irish Republic, France, Romania, Luxembourg, Sweden and Poland. Mr Paterson has been meeting counterparts from the Irish Republic, France, Romania, Luxembourg, Sweden and Poland.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said a number of issues were being discussed, including the testing of processed meat, EU labelling and the sharing of information among member states.The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said a number of issues were being discussed, including the testing of processed meat, EU labelling and the sharing of information among member states.
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.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 Romanian 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." Victor Ponta told BBC Two's Newsnight: "This is a very serious European crisis, it's not Romanian 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."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 beefburgers. The firm had removed all frozen beefburgers 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 beefburgers. The firm had removed all frozen beefburgers from sale in January in order to test them.
"One brand Unger beefburgers 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 beefburgers 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 in lasagne, made by a French food processing company, was found to be up to 100% horsemeat.
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''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 on Wednesday, 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 because "it's clear this is not just a UK or an Irish problem".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".
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 had been 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.
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.
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.
Meanwhile, a Glasgow firm has been named as the source of Waitrose own-brand Essential frozen beef meatballs which may contain pork.Meanwhile, a Glasgow firm has been named as the source of Waitrose own-brand Essential frozen beef meatballs which may contain pork.
Waitrose said it had checked 40 meat products in light of the horsemeat scandal and tests on the meatballs were found to possibly contain pork, which were produced at the ABP Foods-owned Freshlink factory.Waitrose said it had checked 40 meat products in light of the horsemeat scandal and tests on the meatballs were found to possibly contain pork, which 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."