§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment his Department has made of the health implications of the consumption of non-pasteurised milk; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythRetail sales of unpasteurised milk have been banned in Scotland since the introduction in 1983 of compulsory pasteurisation. This was in response to widespread public concern about the risks associated with untreated milk following a number of serious outbreaks of milk-borne disease in Scotland. There are no proposals to change the Government's compulsory pasteurisation policy, which has led to the virtual eradication of milk-borne disease in Scotland.
§ Mr. WallaceTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has regarding incidents of illness or disease in Scotland in the last 10 years which can be attributed to the consumption of non-pasteurised milk.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe numbers of reported cases of food poisoning associated with the consumption of untreated cows' milk for each year since 1980 are as follows:
Number of outbreaks Number of individual cases 1980 5 103 1981 8 782 1982 14 539 1983 7 29 1984 5 27 1985 8 74 1986 2 10 1987 5 30 1988 2 5 1989 — —