Wyre Forest politician seeks horse meat reassurances (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

Wyre Forest politician seeks horse meat reassurances

7:40am Thursday 14th February 2013 in News By William Tomaney

A WYRE Forest politician is seeking reassurances that meals at schools and hospitals have not been affected by the horse meat scandal.

Wyre Forest Labour Parliamentary Spokesman Howard Martin has contacted Worcestershire County Council and Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust to ensure students and patients are not being fed horse when they think they are eating beef.

A council spokesman said each school was responsible for its own arrangements but had been advised by the authority to contact catering companies directly.

An NHS trust spokesman said its suppliers had confirmed they did not receive any materials from the companies so far named as having identified traces of horse meat in their products.

The move comes after it was revealed some of Findus’ frozen beef lasagne, made by French company Comigel, were found to have up to 100 per cent horse meat in them.

Mr Martin, a Labour Wyre Forest district councillor, said: “People have moral and ethical grounds why they would not want to eat horse meat.

“I know there is no health and safety issue but it is important the public know what they are eating. If the British Government decided it was ok to eat horse then the food labelling should say that and people could make the choice.”

His letters, one addressed to trust chief executive Penny Venables and the other to council chief executive Trish Haynes, said: “Can you advise what checks have been taken to ensure no horse meat is being fed to patients/ students?”

Gail Quinton, council director of children’s services, said: “We provide support and advice to schools on their individual catering contracts.

“We have been advising schools to contact their catering companies directly in relation to concerns over horse meat.”

She added all food in schools must comply with recognised health and safety and food safety standards and explained the majority of meat used in school lunches was whole meat, not processed meet which is causing concerns.