§ Mr. Pounderasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the latest information available to his Department on toxic residues in prawns and lobsters in United Kingdom waters.
§ Mr. PriorPrawns and lobsters are included in the samples being analysed by my Department as part of the scheme for monitoring fish and other foods for mercury and for checking on the presence of certain heavy metals which I announced on 19th January. I do not propose to give results in advance of the first report on the monitoring scheme which should be published by the autumn. However, if in the meantime the scheme revealed cause for concern I would bring this to the attention of my expert advisers and announce the action I was taking to protect the consumer.—[Vol. 809, c. 712–14.]