HC Deb 03 May 1978 vol 949 cc144-5W
Mr. Richard Wainwright

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the illnesses other than salmonella which may be associated with the drinking of farm-bottled, untreated milk, together with the numbers of known cases that have occurred as a result of drinking such milk since 1976.

Mr. Moyle

Illnesses other than food poisoning due to salmonella which have been associated with the drinking of untreated milk include: food poisoning due to Campylobacter, Escherichia Coli and staphyloccocus; Q Fever, Tuberculosis; and Brucellosis. Apart from Salmonellosis, the Public Health Laboratory Service has since the beginning of 1976 recorded one incident in England and Wales involving 30 cases of Campylobacter food poisoning which were thought to be due to the consumption of untreated milk.

Mr. Richard Wainwright

asked the Minister of State for Social Services how many people are known to have suffered from salmonella as a result of drinking untreated milk; and what percentage this number represents the total number of people estimated as being consumers of untreated, farm-bottled milk.

Mr. Moyle

In 1977 the Public Health Laboratory Service recorded in England and Wales 184 cases of food poisoning attributable to salmonella in untreated milk. This represents .01 per cent. of the number of consumers of untreated milk as estimated at 31st March 1977.

Mr. Richard Wainwright

asked the Minister of State for Social Services what percentage of known salmonella cases in the years 1976, 1977 and 1978 to date is attributed to the drinking of untreated, farm-bottled milk.

Mr. Moyle

Between 1st January 1976 and 28th February 1978 the Public Health Laboratory Service recorded in England and Wales 217 cases of salmonella food poisoning attributable to the consumption of untreated milk. This represents 6.9 per cent. of all salmonella food poisoning cases during this period in which the food responsible for the outbreak was identified.