§ Mr. RookerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on food poisoning attributed to chickens and eggs in the 12 months to December.
§ Mr. Kenneth Clarke[pursuant to his answer 23 January 1989, c. 409]: In 1988 a total of 24 outbreaks of salmonella food poisoning associated with the consumption of chicken were reported to the Public Health Laboratory Service. In 1987, the same number (24) of such outbreaks were reported. Provisional data show that the 24 outbreaks in 1988 involved over 600 people whereas in 1987 the same number of outbreaks involved around 400 people.