§ Dr. Evan Harris:To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to the public on the risk of contracting E.coli while camping. [128927]
§ Miss Melanie Johnson:The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Liam Donaldson in his Annual Report for 2001 alerted the public to the risks of contracting Escherichia coli 0157 infection and provided advice as to how to avoid infection.
The Department of Health works in close collaboration with other Government Departments, particularly the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and with the Scottish Executive in providing to the public, to farmers and others responsible for farmland that might be used for recreational purposes, information on the risks of E.coli 0157 and how to avoid infection.
Following the recommendations of the joint FSA/ Scottish Executive Task Force on E.coli 0157 relating to access to and use of rural land, advice was issued nationally in 2001 by the Scottish Executive to relevant organisations, including the National Farmers Union, the National Scout Association and the Guide Association on how to avoid ill health during recreation on farmland. This advice was re-issued in 2003.
The key points of this advice are that where possible, fields used for grazing or stockholding of animals should not be used for camping, picnicking, or play areas.
If fields that have been used for grazing or stockholding animals are to be used for recreational purposes, the following precautions should be taken:
keep farm animals off the fields for the three weeks prior to and during the event/use;remove any visible dung/faeces—preferably at the beginning of the three week period:mow the grass—keep it short and remove the clippings before fields are used for recreation;inform leaders of recreational/leisure groups (for example scouts, guides etc.) of the need for good hygiene practice (such as hand washing) and to treat drinking or personal washing water taken from streams.The HSE produced specific guidance to farmers on how to avoid the risks from E.coli 0157 infection associated with recreational use of farmland and issued press notices to remind farmers and others responsible 85W for farmland of this guidance in 2001. This guidance supplemented existing guidance, revised in 2001, for farmers contained in the HSE's Agricultural Information Sheet 23 "Avoiding ill health at open farms". The HSE has also produced a video which highlights the risk of contamination from farm animals, buildings and equipment and advises on the need for good hygiene and the importance of hand washing before eating and drinking in preventing infection with E.coli 0157. The advice and the video are available on the HSE's website.
The Department of Health disseminated this advice through the website www.wiredforhealth.gov.uk.
Advice for the public on the importance of handwashing prior to eating or drinking in preventing E.coli 0157 infection is reinforced through the FSA's five year Food Hygiene Campaign which reiterates seasonal food safety messages at regular intervals.