§ Mr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. 159W Member for South Shields of 14 December, Official Report, columns 579–80, what statutory restrictions there are on the release of the identity of the 21 protein processing plants that were found to contain salmonella in 1987; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Donald Thompson[holding answer 16 January 1989]There is no statutory prohibition on the release of the information. However details about protein processing plants are collected by my Department in order to carry out inspections as provided for under the Diseases of Animals (Protein Processing) Order 1981. It would be wrong to disclose such data for purposes other than those for which they were collected.