HC Deb 02 May 1989 vol 152 cc29-30W
Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in theOfficial Report, the number of incidents of contamination of baby food notified to the police on each day since the first incident was reported on 7 April.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that since 7 April the number of reported incidents in England, Wales and Scotland of contamination of baby food notified to the police each day are as follows:

Number of reported incidents
Date Number
April 7 1
April 9 1
April 10 4
April 15 1
April 17 3
April 20 1
April 22 1
April 24 5

Reliable national figures for the period since 24 April are not yet available centrally.

Mr. Kirkwood

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the police notified his Department of the existence of the threat to safely involved in the contamination of baby food.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The Home Office was notified on 26 April. I understand that the police were in touch with the Department of Health some days earlier. The police had previously ensured that local warnings about the threat to safety were issued whenever specific incidents of contamination were discovered.