The Earl of Selkirkasked Her Majesty's Government:
Of the 26 deaths believed to be due to salmonella poisoning in the course of the current year, whether there is any evidence to suggest that the deaths arose from eggs laid by battery chickens or from eggs laid by free-run chickens and whether this point will be further examined in the course of their investigations.
§ Lord HeskethNo information is available on whether the 26 deaths involving salmonella enteritidis bacteraemia were associated with eggs. It is therefore not possible to comment on either battery or free-range eggs as a source.