§ 33. Dr. Strossasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that food 18 poisoning is responsible for about 30 deaths each year; and whether he will make a statement on the action he is taking to give better protection to the public.
§ Miss PittYes, Sir. The protection of the public against food poisoning depends on the maintenance of proper standards of hygiene in the handling of food. The Ministry assists local authorities and the food trade to secure higher standards in a variety of ways. The most important of these are the making of statutory regulations, the production of publicity material and the issuing of codes of practice.
§ Dr. StrossIs the hon. Lady aware that proper standards of hygiene in the handling of food will not give us protection so long as we import without treatment liquidate preparations which are often infected by salmonella disease? Cannot we have from the hon. Lady and her right hon. and learned Friend an assurance that these preparations, particularly from abroad, where the infection is of a type to which we are not accustomed in this country, should be pasteurised compulsorily?
§ Miss PittWe take what steps we can to protect the public. It is almost impossible to legislate for everything, but I will bring to the attention of my right hon. and learned Friend the point made by the hon. Member.