Horsemeat: Three Arrested Released On Bail

Three men who were arrested by police investigating the horsemeat scandal have been freed on bail, as political pressure mounts over the speed of the Government's response.

Dafydd Raw-Rees, 64, the owner of Farmbox Meats near Aberystwyth, a 42-year-old man from Wales and a 63-year-old man from the Peter Boddy Slaughterhouse in Todmorden, West Yorkshire, have been released from custody pending further inquiries.

All were arrested on Thursday on suspicion of offences under the Fraud Act and have been told they must answer police bail at a later date.

The time it has taken for all the meat considered at risk of being contaminated with horse DNA to be tested as led to criticism of the Government's response.

Ed Miliband told Sky News that the Government had not been as "sure footed" as it could have been.

He said: "I think they've been too slow to get a grip on this situation ... we want this resolved quickly."

FSA tests have so far found around 1% of all products checked around the country contained a significant amount of horse meat.

Environment Secretary Owen Patterson said he wants all other tests to be completed by the end of next week.

"It's up to the food businesses to carry out the tests, to organise their businesses and to provide quality products," Mr Patterson told Sky News.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said it has passed on evidence from two premises in north London and one in Yorkshire to Europol - the European Union's law enforcement agency - after it emerged they were raided on Thursday.

The two sites in Tottenham, North London and one in Hull were searched by Food Standards Agency officials, who removed computer equipment and took away meat samples to be analysed.

The FSA has conceded it is unlikely the exact number of people in the UK who have unwittingly eaten horse meat will ever be known.

Farmers, meanwhile, have advertised in national newspapers urging people to buy British.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) has taken out adverts in 10 national newspapers, saying it is championing British produce as a direct response to the contamination and mislabelling of some beef products.

According to NFU President, Peter Kendall, British farmers feel let down.

"Farmers are very proud of what they produce and are, quite rightly, furious about this current situation. They feel let down by what looks like a criminal element in an isolated part of the food chain," he said.

One of the businesses being investigated by the FSA in Tottenham is Dinos & Sons Continental Foods.

The company released a statement saying it is co-operating with officials, adding: "At no time has Dinos & Sons produced or manufactured anything that is under investigation or is the subject of any possible contamination or mislabelling."

The arrests of the men in Wales and Todmorden took place after plants were inspected on Tuesday by the FSA.

The problem has gone beyond supermarket-bought burgers and lasagnes - hotels, restaurants and pubs have also been affected after confirmation from Whitbread, which owns Premier Inn, Beefeater Grill and Brewers Fayre, that horse DNA has been found in its food.

Cottage pie served to children at 47 schools in Lancashire has also tested positive and has now been removed from menus.

Tesco and other retailers have gone on the defensive this weekend by placing adverts in national newspapers and placing videos on Youtube in an attempt to tell consumers what they are doing to tackle the issue.