Institute of Food Research (Hansard, 12 March 1990)

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many projects are presently being undertaken at the Bristol laboratory of the Institute of Food Research; how many are to be transferred to either Reading or Norwich; and how many of these are related to food safety.

§ Mr. Maclean
I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 19 February 1990,Official Report, column 576.

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the implications for food safety, in respect of microwaves, of the decision to close the Bristol laboratory of the Institute of Food Research.

§ Mr. Maclean
There are no implications for food safety, in respect of microwaves, of this closure, as there are facilities elsewhere with the capability to carry out research in this area. This will be evident from the answer which I gave on 13 December 1989,Official Report, column 694.

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what facilities will exist, following the closure of the Bristol laboratory of the Institute of Food Research, capable of monitoring the safety of novel food processes on a scale appropriate to industrial conditions.

§ Mr. Maclean
It is for the industry to establish the safety of any novel food process. The research associations and institutes of higher education have appropriate facilities in addition to those of industry.

§ Mr. Matthew Taylor
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many representations he has received(a) in favour of and (b) against the projected closure of the Bristol laboratory of the Institute of Food Research; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Maclean
We have received many representations against the proposed closure of the Bristol laboratory. Most of them were essentially worried about the consequences for food safety R and D. I can assure the hon. Member that the closure will not affect the Government's continuing commitment to address and resolve food safety and hygiene issues of concern to taxpayers, consumers, producers and industry.
88W
Indeed the Government are spending more money—£11.5 million in total—this year on R and D into food safety. Consolidation of the work of the Institute of Food Research at Norwich and Reading will allow greater emphasis to be placed on the basic and molecular sciences, especially in key areas such as food safety where major programmes will be further strengthened and expanded.