§ Mr. Ron BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received any recent representations from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities about food poisoning in prisons and remand centres; and if he will make a statement.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThe Convention of Scottish Local Authorities wrote to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland on 9 March. In its letter, COSLA referred to two outbreaks of food poisoning at Longriggend remand centre and urged that steps be taken to remove Crown immunity. A number of right hon. and hon. Members have since written to colleagues and myself on the matter.
The subject of Crown immunity in the area of food hygiene is one which is being considered in the current review of food legislation. Meanwhile, the Government take very seriously any matter of health and hygiene within penal establishments in general and kitchen areas in particular.
In the two cases referred to by COSLA, the environmental health officers from Monklands district council were immediately invited to help trace the source of the infection. In the light of the advice given by them, improvements in the kitchen have been carried out.