HC Deb 03 February 1992 vol 203 c80W
Mr. Gareth Wardell

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a copy of the provisional classification of the water quality of shellfish harvesting areas.

Mr. Curry

EC directive 91/492/EEC sets out health conditions for the production and sale of live bivalve molluscs. With certain possible exemptions, those conditions are to be implemented by 1 January 1993.

It is first necessary to classify production areas according to the treatment required before the molluscs may be marketed. With the co-operation of local authorities and other interested bodies, we are collecting the necessary data in England and Wales and will publish the results when work is complete.