Microwave Ovens (Hansard, 11 December 1989)

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will impose regulations on the temperature controls of microwave ovens; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Maclean
As the Minister made clear in the House on 6 December at column 325 the microwave ovens tested in the recent study are, in large measure, not defective. The manufacturers have issued updated instructions about their use, where the ovens were found to be not heating evenly, and have agreed to ensure that new microwave ovens will meet the higher standards which the tests have shown to be necessary.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the cost of his survey into microwave ovens; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Maclean
The cost of the report by the Institute of Food Research on testing uniformity and reproducibility of reheating in domestic microwave ovens was £28,490.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what payment he received from industry towards the costs of his survey into microwave ovens; what was the value of models of ovens donated by the manufacturers; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Maclean
Industry made no financial contribution towards the cost of the survey. The models to be tested were decided by the researchers on the basis of sales figures for both branded and own-brand microwaves. The particular ovens were selected at random by the researchers from manufacturers' or retailers' warehouse stock. We do not have details of the potential cost if the Ministry had had to buy the 102 ovens concerned, as it would have made no difference to the study.

§ Mr. Beith
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which microwave cookers failed to heat food to a safe temperature in tests carried out by his Department.

§ Dr. David Clark
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list the manufacturer's 523W name and model type of those microwave ovens which fail to heat products above 70 deg. C in his recent study; and if he will make a statement;
(2) whether he will now issue guidelines to consumers about the use of microwave ovens which fail to reach 70 deg. C; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Maclean
As the Minister announced on 6 December at col. 323, the manufacturers of microwave ovens have at his request issued updated instructions about their use, in cases where the recent study showed that food was not evenly heated. The Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Electrical Appliances (AMDEA) issued a press release that day listing the ovens and brief instructions and a copy is in the Library of the House.