§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Minister of Health which local authorities in England or Wales possess power or take steps to ensure that milk sold within their area is pasteurised; and what action has been taken during the past three years under the Food and Drugs Act or other legislation, to institute prosecutions in cases where tubercular milk has been sold?
§ Miss HorsbrughMy right hon. Friend is not aware that any local authorities have power to enforce the pasteurisation of milk sold in their areas. As regards the second part of the question, while his information is not necessarily complete, he does not know of any case of prosecution. As the hon. Member is aware, the ordinary practice where tuberculous milk is discovered is, if possible, to trace the source of infection and to cause the infected cows to be slaughtered.
§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the medical opinion that public health is endangered by the continued sale of raw milk; he will take steps to prevent the present indiscriminate advertising of milk by the Milk Marketing Board without regard as to whether the increased quantity of milk consumed is safe or dangerous?
§ Miss HorsbrughMy right hon. Friend fully appreciates the importance of the safety of milk but he has no power to take steps of the kind suggested even if he thought them desirable.