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One pint bottle of milk containing insect pupae—defendants
pleaded guilty—fined £25 with £11 costs.
Food Hygiene (General) Regulations, 1970.
Eight summonses were brought against the proprietoress of a
small roadside cafe for offences under these Regulations—the
defendant pleaded guilty to three offences but not to the remaining
five. However, six offences were proved and fines
amounting to £41 were imposed, with £7 costs. The cafe
subsequently closed down voluntarily.
Inspection of Imported Food.
In the past imported foodstuffs were inspected at the port of
entry. However, with the development of the Container system, a
changed procedure has been instituted to allow the inspection to take
place at the point where the container is unpacked. When this is
done, not at a port, but at an inland destination, special provisions are
necessary. The Imported Food Regulations, 1968, which came into
operation on 1st August, 1968, make provision for the contents of a
food container to receive health clearance at its destination when the
container is opened prior to distribution. Inland local authorities have
the same powers of inspection and detention as Port Health authorities,
since the responsibilities under the Regulations are transferred to them.
Unopened food containers have been arriving at two premises in
this London Borough at irregular intervals during the past year,
although latterly only one firm's premises were concerned. As a general
rule, the Port Health authority notifies me by telephone that a container
is on the way (on other occasions notification is by post), and a
visit is made by an Inspector immediately the notification is received.
Despite this arrangement containers do invariably arrive, are unloaded
and depart before the arrival of the Inspector. I have made informal
arrangements with the local receiving firm to keep container contents
apart until the Inspector has visited. The firm is most co-operative in
this respect, but there would appear to be no obligation for them to
do so.
During the past year several articles have been published in
national newspapers and professional journals on this subject and
correspondence has ensued. The Association of Public Health Inspectors
are endeavouring to establish the degree of difficulties which
have arisen in the working of the Regulations, and it is to be hoped
that ultimately a satisfactory system of notification and detention will
be formulated.
SERVICES UNDER HOUSING ACTS
Of all the duties carried out by Public Health Inspectors, one of
the most important is in the field of housing. The aspects of housing
work for which they are responsible include the clearance of houses
which are unfit for human habitation; the repair of houses; the improvement
of individual houses; the improvement of houses as part of
the policy of improving housing areas as a whole; the inspection and
control of houses which are in multi-occupation, and miscellaneous
duties including the inspection of houses in connection with Rent Act
legislation.
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