§ 120. Mr. Maxwellasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will refer to his scientific advisory panel for consideration the effect factory farming has on the quality and taste of food; and whether it can harm the health of the consumer.
§ Mr. PeartYes. I have asked the panel to consider whether intensive systems104W of production have any effect on the quality and taste of food. The limited amount of work which has been done in this field does not suggest that such systems have any materially adverse effect on the nutritional value of the resulting product as an item in a balanced diet. I know of no evidence that the products of intensive husbandry are harmful to the health of the consumer. The evaluation of such evidence would, of course, be a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health.