§ Mr. Canavanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) pursuant to the answer of 24 October 1985, Official Report, columns 232–3, if he will give details of the advice of the working party on organic environmental contaminants in food and the action he intends to take;
(2) if he will take steps to lay down guidelines for the maximum allowable content of polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzodioxins especially 2, 3, 7, 8 tetrachlorodibenzodioxins, and polychlorinated dibenzofurans in milk for human consumption.
§ Mr. John MacKayThe working party on organic environmental contaminants in food was set up by the steering group on food surveillance on 11 October 1985, and its preliminary work has begun. The need for guidelines on such contaminants, in relation to food in general and milk in particular, will be considered in the light of the advice to be given by the working party and of other research in this field.