HC Deb 01 July 1963 vol 680 cc16-8
15. Sir A. Hard

asked the Minister of Health when he proposes to bring forward regulations to require the pasteurisation to a satisfactory standard of all bulked liquid/whole egg intended for human consumption; and if he has consulted the British Egg Marketing Board and the National Egg Packers' Association on the practicability of enforcing such regulations at an early date while considerable stocks of home-produced liquid egg have to be disposed of and pasteurising facilities are restricted.

Mr. Braine

This month; the operative date is under consideration; yes, Sir.

Sir A. Hurd

I am not quite sure what that reply means. Does it mean that home-produced liquid egg which is now held in stock will no longer be allowed to be sold for human consumption unless it has been subjected to what is now to be the approved pasteurisation process? As there does not seem to be any evidence that trouble has arisen through home-produced supplies of liquid egg, will not the Minister give a period of grace to allow these stocks, which seem to be quite safe, to be disposed of without very heavy loss to the producers?

Mr. Braine

The answer to the last part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question is that the subject is very much in my right hon. Friend's mind. As regards the first part, I was answering the Question on the Order Paper, which asked when my right hon. Friend proposes to bring forward regulations to require pasteurisation to a satisfactory standard and I said that it would be this month. The operative date of the new regulations is still under consideration, but it may be of interest to the House to know, because this has been a matter of some public comment, that, by voluntary arrangement, all whole liquid Chinese egg is already being pasteurised.

Mr. P. Browne

Is it not a fact that, originally, these regulations were to come into force on 1st August? Is it true that they have now been put back to probably 1st January of next year? Is my hon. Friend aware that all those who are involved in the poultry industry would wish these regulations to come in as soon as possible, because it is undoubtedly the fact that liquid egg has been the cause of illness and outbreaks of various diseases in the past?

Mr. Braine

I will advise my hon. Friend to await the regulations which will be shortly laid before the House.

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