§ 19 Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Health, in view of the increasing use of manufactured powdered milk in the place of fresh milk in the Dartford group of hospitals, what precautions are taken to ensure that all powdered milk is suitable for human consumption.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodPowdered milk is manufactured under high standards of safety and is used by the Dartford group of hospitals only in bulk cooking. I am advised that there is no reason to suppose that it is not safe for human consumption.
§ Mr. DoddsIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Kent county analyst has been active in condemning samples of powdered milk, and it would be of some comfort to the people concerned with hospitals if it were known that a similar precaution was taken with some of the powdered milk in the Dartford group of hospitals?
§ Mr. MacleodPerhaps the hon. Member will have a word with me as to what is in his mind. I am fairly confident that none of them refers to the Dartford group of hospitals.
§ Mr. MacleodAs far as the powdered milk manufacture there is concerned, if the milk is dried by the roller process it is absolutely safe in all forms, even raw, and if any other processes are approximately less safe, anything wrong would be completely destroyed in the cooking.
§ Mr. MacleodI should like notice of that question.