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Iceland boss blames councils over 'poor meat quality' Iceland boss blames councils over 'poor meat quality'
(about 1 hour later)
  
Local councils are to blame for driving down food quality with cheap food contracts for schools and hospitals, the boss of Iceland has said.Local councils are to blame for driving down food quality with cheap food contracts for schools and hospitals, the boss of Iceland has said.
Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Malcolm Walker said the "problem really lies" with councils buying food from the poorly supplied catering industry.Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Malcolm Walker said the "problem really lies" with councils buying food from the poorly supplied catering industry.
Retailers should not be blamed for the horsemeat crisis, Mr Walker added.Retailers should not be blamed for the horsemeat crisis, Mr Walker added.
The Local Government Association said councils were not to blame for what had been "a major supply chain failure".The Local Government Association said councils were not to blame for what had been "a major supply chain failure".
Mr Walker's comments followed a call on Sunday from the boss of Waitrose for tighter meat testing controls.Mr Walker's comments followed a call on Sunday from the boss of Waitrose for tighter meat testing controls.
Environment Secretary Owen Paterson is to meet representatives from Sainsbury's; Morrisons; Tesco; Asda; the Food and Drink Federation; and the Institute of Grocery Distribution again on Monday afternoon. Environment Secretary Owen Paterson is to meet representatives from Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Tesco, Asda, the Food and Drink Federation, and the Institute of Grocery Distribution on Monday afternoon.
A Defra spokeswoman said the meeting would allow Mr Paterson to get an update on testing results and to find out more about what businesses are doing to restore confidence among consumers. A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokeswoman said the meeting would allow Mr Paterson to get an update on testing results and find out more about what businesses are doing to restore consumer confidence.
'Cheap food''Cheap food'
Iceland was among UK retailers, including Tesco, Asda, Lidl and Aldi which withdrew products which were found to test positive for horse DNA. Iceland was among UK retailers, including Tesco, Asda, Lidl and Aldi which withdrew products found to test positive for horse DNA.
After Iceland removed a line of quarter-pounder beefburgers last month, the North Wales-based firm said it "would be working closely with its suppliers" to ensure its products met "high standards of quality and integrity". After Iceland removed a line of quarter-pounder beefburgers last month, the north Wales-based firm said it "would be working closely with its suppliers" to ensure its products met "high standards of quality and integrity".
Mr Walker told the BBC: "British supermarkets have got a fantastic reputation for food safety, they go to enormous lengths to protect their brand."Mr Walker told the BBC: "British supermarkets have got a fantastic reputation for food safety, they go to enormous lengths to protect their brand."
And he insisted that supermarkets were already extremely transparent about food quality and testing. He insisted supermarkets were already extremely transparent about food quality and testing.
"If we're going to blame somebody, let's start with local authorities because there's a whole side to this industry which is invisible - that's the catering industry. Schools, hospitals - it's massive business for cheap food and local authorities award contracts based purely on one thing - price." "If we're going to blame somebody let's start with local authorities, because there's a whole side to this industry which is invisible - that's the catering industry. Schools, hospitals - it's massive business for cheap food and local authorities award contracts based purely on one thing - price."
He added: "Iceland has never sold economy products - we do not sell cheap food. We have one brand of food, one level of food... we know where all our food comes from, we follow the supply chain right the way through and it's very short." He added: "Iceland has never sold economy products - we do not sell cheap food... we know where all our food comes from, we follow the supply chain right the way through and it's very short."
Supermarkets such as Iceland were not the real culprits in "driving down food quality", he said. Supermarkets were not the real culprits in "driving down food quality", he said.
"Dodgy cutting houses and backstreet manufacturers have been supplying products to the catering industry and a lot of that is bought by local authorities for schools and hospitals - that's where the problem really lies.""Dodgy cutting houses and backstreet manufacturers have been supplying products to the catering industry and a lot of that is bought by local authorities for schools and hospitals - that's where the problem really lies."
Responding to the comments, a spokesman for the Local Government Association denied that councils procured food contracts for hospitals, saying: "The chief executive of Iceland seems a little confused. Responding to the comments, a Local Government Association spokesman denied that councils procured food contracts for hospitals, saying: "The chief executive of Iceland seems a little confused.
"The law is 100% clear that it is the responsibility of the manufacturer, supplier and retailer to make sure the product they sell us is what they say it is."The law is 100% clear that it is the responsibility of the manufacturer, supplier and retailer to make sure the product they sell us is what they say it is.
"There has been a major supply chain failure. That's not the fault of consumers, councils or hospitals.""There has been a major supply chain failure. That's not the fault of consumers, councils or hospitals."
The spokesman added that companies supplying food needed to "take responsibility and focus on getting their house in order".The spokesman added that companies supplying food needed to "take responsibility and focus on getting their house in order".
"The vast majority of retailers, caterers and manufacturers are doing this. Iceland should do the same," he said."The vast majority of retailers, caterers and manufacturers are doing this. Iceland should do the same," he said.
A spokeswoman for the Local Authorities Caterers Association said it was "disappointed" with Mr Walker's remarks. A Local Authorities Caterers Association spokeswoman said it was "disappointed" with Mr Walker's remarks.
"Local authorities across the country have been totally supportive of driving food standards up in schools over the last few years," she told BBC News."Local authorities across the country have been totally supportive of driving food standards up in schools over the last few years," she told BBC News.
She said providers had to adhere to stringent "procurement policies and procedures for sourcing and ensuring quality control of food products for school menus". She insisted providers adhered to stringent "procurement policies and procedures for sourcing and ensuring quality control of food products for school menus".
"With monitoring and control tighter than ever before, quality of food served in schools has risen, not fallen," she added."With monitoring and control tighter than ever before, quality of food served in schools has risen, not fallen," she added.
When the horsemeat scandal came to light, Waitrose also withdrew a number of product. 'Cheap commodity'
Although none tested positive for horsemeat, some own-brand meatballs were found to contain traces of pork. Waitrose also withdrew a number of products when the horsemeat scandal came to light.
The company's managing director, Mark Price, said the John Lewis-owned firm would set up its own freezing plant to prevent cross-contamination. Although none tested positive for horse DNA, some own-brand meatballs were found to contain traces of pork.
Speaking to href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/" >The Sunday Telegraph, Mr Price called on all those in the food industry to apply "renewed rigour" to their testing regimes. Managing director Mark Price said the John Lewis-owned firm would set up its own freezing plant to prevent cross-contamination.
Speaking to The Sunday Telegraph, Mr Price urged the food industry to apply "renewed rigour" to their testing regimes.
He said: "If something good comes of the current scandal, I hope it is the opening up of a debate around the true economics of food.He said: "If something good comes of the current scandal, I hope it is the opening up of a debate around the true economics of food.
"The simple fact is that food cannot be seen as a cheap commodity when so many factors are working against that premise, including population growth.""The simple fact is that food cannot be seen as a cheap commodity when so many factors are working against that premise, including population growth."
Meanwhile, former Food Standards Agency manager John Young told the Sunday Times he had alerted the government in 2011 to the "debacle" of horse passports, which were supposed to stop the painkiller bute entering the food chain, but was ignored.Meanwhile, former Food Standards Agency manager John Young told the Sunday Times he had alerted the government in 2011 to the "debacle" of horse passports, which were supposed to stop the painkiller bute entering the food chain, but was ignored.
The environment secretary said he had spoken to the FSA's chief executive, Catherine Brown, regarding Mr Young's claims, which were made before he took up his position. A Defra spokesperson responded that Mr Paterson had asked the FSA's chief executive and Defra officials to look into the allegations, insisting it was "clear Defra and the FSA have taken action on the issue... when information has been passed to us".
"I have discussed it with the chief executive of the FSA this morning and she is going to go back through the records and see exactly what was said at the time," Mr Paterson told Sky News's Murnaghan programme. "In January 2012, Defra and the FSA increased checks on horse passports, meaning every horse was checked twice, and from last week no horse can enter the food chain until it is confirmed to be free of bute," they said.
The FSA said it had submitted a "full file" on its horsemeat investigation to Europol - the EU's law enforcement agency - and the information was being analysed in 35 countries, in Europe and elsewhere. The FSA said it had submitted a "full file" on its horsemeat investigation to Europol, the EU's law enforcement agency, with information being analysed in 35 countries in Europe and elsewhere.
On Friday, Ms Brown said the agency had not brought any of its own prosecutions so far, but she did not rule out future legal action.