§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence his Department has of vertical infection of hens' eggs by salmonella; what species are involved; and what is his estimate of the numbers of chickens involved.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonEvidence has existed for a number of years of the ability of salmonella enteritidis to infect the ovaries of poultry and was noted by Snoeyenbos,436W Smyser and Van Rockel in the "Avian Diseases 13" in 1969. More recently articles have appeared in the Veterinary Record, on 24 September, which established a link between this infection in the laying bird and in the egg.
Salmonella enteritidis has been detected in laying hens, broilers and breeders and is also known in ducks.
Since salmonella does not provide an overt clinical disease in adult poultry, it is not possible to give precise figures of the extent of the infection without extensive testing, which, in the absence of a simple, rapid and sensitive test for salmonella enteritidis, is not possible.
§ Sir Hal MillerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the incidence of salmonella enteritidis in commercial laying flocks.
§ Mr. MacGregorUnder the Zoonoses Order 1975, any person isolating salmonella organisms from poultry must notify my Department. So far this year, my Department has received 15 such reports of salmonella enteritidis isolations from commercial laying flocks. There are in total about 42,000 laying flocks in the United Kingdom. Each such reported isolation of salmonella enteritidis is thoroughly investigated by a veterinary surgeon of the veterinary investigation service.
Mr. Alan WilliamsTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many eggs have been imported in each of the last three years; what steps his Department has taken to protect the public against the importation of eggs contaminated by salmonella; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonThe figures for imports of shell eggs in the last three years are:
(Million eggs) 1985 464 1986 338 1987 190 There is a very low degree of risk of contracting salmonella poisoning from imported, or home-produced, eggs particularly if everyone follows the advice of the chief medical officer.
Mr. Alan WilliamsTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the factors accounting for the different experience of salmonella incidence in the poultry industry in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonWe are aware that the salmonella problem is not confined to Great Britain alone. My officials are in contact with colleagues in Northern Ireland about the salmonella issues. To date there has not been a comparative assessment made of the situations both here and in Northern Ireland.
§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps has he taken to prevent salmonella from chickens which have been destroyed from getting into the food chain.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonVarious methods of disposal are available, including incineration and burial, neither of which should present any risk of salmonella being 437W introduced into the food chain. In any case there are legal controls to ensure that salmonella is destroyed in the processing of animal protein.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what guidance he has issued to local authorities about salmonella enteriditis in poultry products; if he will place copies of such guidance in the Library; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonGuidance was issued to enforcement authorities on 17 August on the identification and rejection of birds showing visible signs of salmonella enteriditis at post-mortem inspection. A copy is being placed in the Library of the House.