HC Deb 28 April 1988 vol 132 cc250-1W
Mrs. Mahon

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what scientific evaluation of the cook-chill system has been carried out by his Department or any other relevant organisation;

(2) if he will conduct a full inquiry into the cost and safety aspects of the cook-chill system.

Mrs. Currie

Cook-chill is a long established method of preparing food in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. As with any technically sophisticated system, safety rests on the strict application of procedures and principles developed over time. In the United Kingdom, these are described in the Department's "Guidelines on pre-cooked chilled foods" published in 1980, which have been reviewed and updated by an expert working group. The new edition will be published shortly. The review included consideration of scientific data from both long-established and more recently established cook-chill units and took account of relevant published scientific papers. The guidelines will be kept under review.

Decisions to introduce cook-chill are taken by commercial or institutional managers in the light of local catering needs. The design of each system, including its cost effectiveness, must relate to those needs.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if the provisions relating to food hygiene circulated in a letter in January from Mr. David Thompson, head of catering, to all regional and district health authority general managers requiring that local environental health officers, control of infection officers, medical officers of environmental health and local medical microbiologists or public health laboratories are consulted before the introduction of cook-chill catering systems have been met by health authorities in the Yorkshire region; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Currie

Health authorities determine their own catering strategies and pattern of delivery within the framework of broad guidelines and management principles issued centrally. Information is not routinely collected on the manner in which health authorities use this guidance and the hon. Member should consult the chairman of Yorkshire regional health authority on the practices adopted in that region.