Salmonella: Testing of Poultry Flocks (Hansard, 26 June 1989)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Trumpington)
My Lords, under the Testing of Poultry Flocks Order 1989 each flock owner is responsible for carrying out routine monitoring for the presence of salmonella in poultry laying flocks. Information is not available therefore as to how many tests have been made. However, the reporting of salmonella isolations is required under the Zoonoses Order 1979. So far this year there have been 93 reports of salmonella enteritidis isolations in laying flocks and 29 flocks have been slaughtered.

§ Lord Nugent of Guildford
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that Answer, which only partially answers the Question which I asked. Is my noble friend aware that the system of monitoring this testing seems very incomplete? Is she aware that the wish of the whole community is the elimination of this dangerous disease of salmonella enteritidis? Is she further aware that the existing system, a cloacal swab, is very ineffective, and that the right procedure is for the Ministry of Agriculture to make a serum which is effective against salmonella enteritidis and which should be universally applied to all poultry throughout the country? In that way we could eliminate the disease. Can my noble friend tell the House what is the prospect of the Ministry of Agriculture producing an effective serum?

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, the Government have adopted a comprehensive package of 19 measures, all but three of which have been implemented. The details of these are in the Library of the House. We are not the only country to suffer from this problem, but we have taken more measures to beat the problem than any other country. The Government accept the need for research into a serum against salmonella in poultry and eggs, and the Government announced on 21st March 1989 the provision of £1 million annually to meet the cost of new research into salmonella. A serum would indeed be a great gift to everybody.

§ Lord Leatherland
My Lords, can the Minister tell us what the symptoms are so that people recognise them in their own case and get off to the doctor?

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, I think the noble Lord would know when he was infected by salmonella.

§ Lord Leatherland
That does not answer my question, my Lords. Can the Minister announce publicly now what the symptoms are, so that the population will know?

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, I have had a great many helpful suggestions from all around me. You feel very ill, you are sick and other unpleasant things happen.

§ Baroness Macleod of Borve
My Lords, my noble friend the Minister has suggested that the Government are introducing research. As I have suffered both from salmonella and botulism, can she assure me that the Government are going forward at a great rate to try to find out what causes both salmonella and botulism?

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, we are already carrying out a great deal of research into the problem of salmonella; for example, the detection of infection in live birds, the effect of cooking on infected eggs and foods made from them, the growth of salmonella in eggs. Areas for future and further research are being urgently considered.
In relation to botulism, producers have to sample the product to ensure freedom from salmonella before it is fed to livestock, but there is no requirement to test for botulism toxin. That is because botulism toxin occurs in isolated pockets and would not be readily detected. Producers of ensiled poultry waste should ensure that the product is free from poultry carcasses.

§ Lord Gallacher
My Lords, has the attention of the Ministry been drawn to the report of the Central Public Health Laboratory of a powerful new strain of salmonella in poultry said to be resistant to antibiotics in common use? It is called salmonella typhimurium, the incidence of which has increased quite markedly in recent months. Is any action being taken about this, and what is the nature of such action?

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, research is continuing. We have put in the extra £1 million for extra research this year. I cannot say how it is progressing, but if I can find out I will write to the noblc Lord.

§ Lord John-Mackie
My Lords, which research institute has been given the £1 million'? Is it Bristol?

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, I do not know.

§ Lord Walston
My Lords, I understood the noble Baroness to say that it was the responsiblity of flock 479 owners to test their own flocks. If I am right in my understanding, can she tell us whether there is any monitoring of that, how many flock owners do it, how frequently they do it and whether they have to report their results to the Ministry of Agriculture, to veterinary services, or whether any other record is made of the results of the tests? If records are made, what percentage of flocks being tested by owners give a positive result?

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, if the noble Lord reads my original Answer he will find that I have answered his questions already.

§ Lord Nugent of Guildford
My Lords, may I pursue the point about the sum of money that my noble friend has spoken about, the £1 million which has been allocated for research. If she cannot tell the House now which research station is to receive that sum to pursue that research, will she perhaps write to me, and also as to what is the programme of that research, and when we can expect a report on the progress being made?

§ Baroness Trumpington
Of course, my Lords.