§ 51. Mr. Blenkinsopasked the Minister of Health what action he has taken to protect the public against the dangers of food poisoning and paratyphoid fever caused by contaminated imported egg products.
§ Mr. R. ThompsonPublic health and certain other local authorities have been asked to pay special attention to the sampling of imported egg products for bacteriological examination. They try wherever possible to sample every batch, and measures are taken to prevent any batch found infected from giving rise to a public health risk. Representations 22 have been made to the authorities of several exporting countries that products should be bacteriologically examined before export.
§ Mr. BlenkinsopIn view of this situation, which has been going on for some years now, in which there have been continuous reports of serious infection in this way, has the Minister had any conversation with the President of the Board of Trade about checking further imports?
§ Mr. ThompsonMy right hon. and learned Friend will have heard what the hon. Gentleman said, but I have witnessed the machinery which is in operation for checking the imports at one of our principal ports, and can say that I am satisfied that it works very well.