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124
PUBLIC HEALTH (REGULATIONS AS TO FOOD) ACT, 1907.
This Act was brought in by the Government in July, 1906, but was not
then proceeded with. It was re-introduced in February, 1907, received the
Royal Assent on the 28th August of that year, and became immediately
operative.
This Act enables the Local Government Board to make Regulations for the
prevention of danger arising to public health from the importation, preparation,
storage and distribution of articles of food. This object is attained in the
Act by extending the power of the Local Government Board to make
Regulations under the Public Health Act, 1896, and enactments mentioned in
that Act so as to make provision for:—
(a) The examination and taking of samples of articles of food or drink
(other than drugs or water) intended for human consumption.
(b) Applying, as respects any matters to be dealt with by the
Regulations, any provision in any Act of Parliament dealing with
the like matters, with the necessary modifications and adaptions.
(c) Providing for the recovery of any charges authorised to be made
by the Regulations or any services performed thereunder.
In this Act the machinery existing with regard to epidemic diseases under
the Public Health Act, 1875, the Public Health Act, 1896, and the Public
Health (London) Act, 1891, is utilised for the purpose of food inspection.
When this measure was under consideration, there was a feeling in some
quarters that it placed too wide a control in the hands of a single minister;
the Government accepted this view, and added Section 2, by which no
regulations made under the Act can become operative until they have been
laid forty days before Parliament.
The Local Government Board having some time past had under consideration
the issue of such regulations, the Court of Common Council, on the 31st
October, 1907, agreed to a Report of the Sanitary Committee submitting, on the
recommendation of your Medical Officer of Health, that the attention of the
Board be directed to the importance of making Regulations under the Act for
the following purposes:—
(1) For preventing the admission of any meat, or meat products, into
this country that have not been officially examined and certified as wholesome
before export, the inspection to be in accord with the standard in
force in this country at the time. At present the only standard existing
is that laid down in the recommendations of the Royal Commission on
Tuberculosis, 1898.