Listeria (Hansard, 17 July 1995)

§ Mr. Martyn Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many public interest immunity certificates he has signed in respect of documents relating to listeria in the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [34407]

§ Mr. Bowis
My right hon. Friend has never signed a public interest immunity certificate.

§ Dr. Strang
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the total number of cases of reported listeria(a) for each year from 1985 and (b) for the latest available date. [34222]

§ Mr. Bowis
The number of cases of listeriosis reported to the Public Health Laboratory in England and Wales between 1985 and 1995 is as follows:

1985: 149

1986: 137

1987: 259

1988: 291

1989: 250

1990: 118

1991: 130

1992: 108

1993: 106

1994: 113 (provisional data)

1995: 16 (provisional data for first quarter)
Note
These figures include a few cases from Northern Ireland.

§ Dr. Strang
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if 921W he will list the number of reported cases of listeria associated with pregnancy (a) for each year from 1985 and (b) for the latest available date. [34223]

§ Mr. Bowis
The number of cases of pregnancy associated listeriosis reported to the Public Health Laboratory Service in England and Wales between 1985 and 1995 is as follows:

1985: 59

1986: 42

1987: 105

1988: 122

1989: 117

1990: 26

1991: 33

1992: 25

1993: 20

1994: 25 (provisional data)

1995: 1 (provisional data for first quarter)
Note
These figures include a few cases from Northern Ireland.

§ Dr. Strang
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department has held with the World Health Organisation regarding listeria in food in the last five years. [34231]

§ Mr. Sackville
The Department maintains on-going contact with the World Health Organisation on food safety issues but has not held any specific discussions about food-borne listeriosis in the last five years.