§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise at the next Council meeting the export of radioactive skimmed milk powder from Germany to Ghana as part of the European Economic Community policy of humanitarian food aid; and if he will seek to establish whether the skimmed milk powder came from Eastern Europe.
§ Mr. Chris PattenTwo separate consignments of milk powder have recently been received in Ghana, one from Czechoslovakia and one from the European Community. I have no information on the former.
The EC food aid consignment consisted of 750 tonnes from the Federal Republic of Germany. Results of three tests carried out by and on behalf of the European Commission indicated that the consignment was well within the permitted safety limits for radioactivity in milk powder. However, in view of Ghanaian claims to the contrary, the Commission has agreed with the Ghanaian Government that a further independent test be undertaken by the International Atomic Energy Authority in Vienna. The outcome of this test is not yet available. I have no present plans to raise this in the Council of Ministers.