HC Deb 16 March 1989 vol 149 c526
17. Mr. Buckley

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to reduce the contamination of food.

Mr. Ryder

In implementing our food safety policy my Department and the Department of Health will continue to ensure that we get the facts, that we have the best scientific assessment of them and that action is taken wherever changes are shown to be necessary.

Mr. Buckley

In view of the relevance of the statement by the Minister and the continuing increase in radioactivity in the sheep flocks in Cumberland, is it not time that we had a survey? Since the Chernobyl accident happened three years ago, why do we not have a national survey of radioactivity taken from the aerial surveys of the whole country?

Mr. Ryder

The area concerned is being surveyed and monitored all the time by Ministry officials.

Mr. Bill Walker

Is my hon. Friend aware that in my constituency D. B. Marshall, which is a large chicken processing plant employing over 1,000 people, is deeply concerned at the dramatic reduction in sales that has occurred following the hysteria over chickens? There has been a drop of 20 percent. in sales of fresh chickens and of 30 per cent. in sales of frozen chickens. This puts at risk many jobs. A total of £5 million has been spent on this plant in recent years to make it the most modern and up-to-date in Europe. Consequently, we now want some sanity on this matter and some clear evidence that processors are producing chickens of the quality required.

Mr. Ryder

I am sure that my hon. Friend is correct. That is why sales of eggs are gradually recovering and sales of poultry are increasing and have been during the past few years.