§ Mr. Heathcoat-Amoryasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what arrangements have been made following the lifting on 31 May of the European Community ban on food imports from certain eastern European countries to ensure the safety of food imported into the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. HayhoeEuropean Council Regulation No. 1707/86 provides that from 31 May in order to protect public health the maximum cumulative levels of caesium 134 and 137 in certain foods imported into the Community from third countries should not exceed 370 becquerels per kilogram for milk and for foodstuffs intended for infants up to the age of six months and 600 bequerels per kilogram for all other foods. The regulation expires on 30 September 1986. Procedures under the regulation allow for the issue in countries of origin, as part of the monitoring arrangements, of certificates to accompany consignments of foodstuffs confirming that the health standards required by the regulation are met.
Port health authorities in the United Kingdom have been informed of the new arrangements. We have informed the Governments of Austria, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary, 99W Poland, Romania, Soviet Union, Sweden and Yugoslavia that exports to this country of fresh, frozen and processed fruit and vegetables and dairy products should be accompanied by a certificate. For meat and meat products, compliance with the agreed levels is being made a condition of the health marks required under existing Community legislation. Certified consignments of these foodstuffs will continue to be monitored by port health authorities in accordance with normal practice by use of their existing powers under the Imported Food Regulations 1984.