§ 21. Ms. WalleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review the adequacy of the arrangements for monitoring for radioactivity in foodstuffs to protect human health in the event of another nuclear accident; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerI refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for East Kilbride (Mr. Ingram).
§ 28. Mr. McCartneyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had and what agreements he has made in the European Community about radioactivity levels in foodstuffs.
§ Mr. GummerDiscussions on emergency intervention levels to be applied in the event of a nuclear accident took place in the Council of Foreign Ministers on 14 December when a common position was reached (subject to confirmation of Italian support) on a framework Community regulation.
The result of the agreement is that the Community will now have in place a system for regulating imports and intra-Community trade in a coherent and pre-determined way in the event of any future nuclear emergency. A 723W decision was also taken to renew the existing post-Chernobyl controls on food imported from third countries.