§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what responsibility his Department has for ensuring that foodstuffs are safe for human consumption and carry no risk of food poisoning; in what way this responsibility is carried out; how many and what type of staff are required; what is the annual cost to his Department; and what has been the change in the number of staff and the annual cost to his Department in each of the last five years.
§ Mr. Gummer[holding answer 15 December 1988]: None.