§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Lord President of the Council if he will arrange for food hygiene inspections by a qualified environmental health officer of all kitchens and food preparation and refreshment areas serving food to hon. Members, staff and the general public in the House equivalent to the quality and regularity of standards applying to all other workplaces.
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweI refer the hon. Member to the reply that she received on 10 November. Environmental health officers are invited to carry out food hygiene inspections of all areas for which the Refreshment Department is responsible either as part of a regular programme, or when a need is perceived. The next such inspection has been arranged to begin on 7 December. The regularity at which these inspections are carried out and the standards applied to them are understood to be more frequent and rigorous than applied by the authorities to commercial catering establishments.