§ 12. Dr. MoonieTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the future of research into microbiological contamination of food.
§ Mr. MacGregorMy Department is firmly committed to providing support for food safety research, on which substantial resources are already being spent. For example, I announced earlier this year that my Department plans to spend £1 million annually on new research on salmonella in poultry and £4.5 million over the next five years on a new strategic research initiative designed to predict the growth of food poisoning organisms in a wide variety of food environments and processes.
§ Dr. MoonieWhat specific steps will the Minister take to monitor the possible adverse effects of the continuing consumption of raw milk?
§ Mr. MacGregorWhere any cases of food poisoning arise from that source, as from any other, we have the evidence put to us and we shall be monitoring it.