§ Sir Nicholas FairbairnTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of illness in Scotland can be reliably related to eggs in the last year for which figures are available; what form the illness took in each case; how many cases of illness in Scotland resulted from eating other items; how many deaths have resulted from eating eggs; and what reduction in the sales of eggs has occurred since 2 December.
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth[holding answer 12 December 1988]: As at 2 December, 2,847 cases of food poisoning in 641W Scotland have been reported in 1988 by general practitioners. It is not always possible to identify the precise cause, but in some 641 cases 99 were attributable to salmonella in egg or egg-based products and 542 to other food, including poultry. Typical symptons of food poisoning include diarrhoea and dehydration. No deaths from the consumption of eggs have been recorded during this period. Information on the sale of eggs is not held centrally.