Day 099 - 08 Mar 95 - Page 14

     
     1
     2   Q.   What things are you looking for when you visit those
     3        establishments?
     4        A.  I would say the main areas of our concern are for food
     5        safety and for food quality.  So, if it is a production
     6        site, we will follow production right the way through from
     7        raw materials through to finished product and storage and
     8        packaging.  We will also check quality control records,
     9        laboratory tests.  Also, we will look at house-keeping and
    10        hygiene, personnel, hygienic practices.
    11
    12   Q.   You mentioned laboratory tests.  We know that both Sun
    13        Valley and McKey have laboratories.  Do you ever go beyond
    14        Sun Valley -- Sun Valley is an integral unit so we need not
    15        ask about that -- do you ever go beyond McKey to look at
    16        their suppliers, the slaughterhouses, the rearers and
    17        growers?
    18        A.  I have been to slaughterhouses that supply McKey's,
    19        yes.
    20
    Q.   We know (because we have been told; there is no dispute
    22        about this) that both Midland Meat Packers which slaughter
    23        meat for McKey and GD Bowes, Norfolk, which slaughter pigs
    24        for McKey, they both have laboratories as well -- have you
    25        seen their laboratory facilities?
    26        A.  I have been to both those facilities, yes.
    27
    28   Q.   Have you run an eye over the systems which are in place at
    29        those two establishments, Bowes and Midland Meat?
    30        A.  Yes, I have.
    31
    32   Q.   From the point of view of -- I am not talking about look or
    33        taste -- food safety, how do the systems which operate at
    34        Midland Meat and GD Bowes strike you?
    35        A.  They struck me as running extremely professional
    36        systems.
    37
    38   Q.   Does your department have any concern or responsibility for
    39        animal welfare?
    40        A.  Yes, we do.
    41
    42   Q.   Is this just in some sense a pandering to public opinion or
    43        not?
    44        A.  No, not at all.  I think McDonald's consider it their
    45        moral responsibility to enquire about and look after the
    46        welfare of the animals that supply the food to our systems.
    47
    48   Q.   We have heard on a number of occasions, Mr. Kenny -- my
    49        Lord perhaps can I lead on this -- that welfare of animals
    50        tend to confer a commercial benefit on the person who owns 
    51        them, is that your view? 
    52        A.  Yes, that is my view as well. 
    53
    54   Q.   Do you personally care about the animals which McDonald's
    55        uses?
    56        A.  Yes, I do.
    57
    58   Q.   Do you ever do what one might call a "full audit" of McKey
    59        or Sun Valley?
    60        A.  Of McKey or Sun Valley, I personally do not do full