HC Deb 08 February 1990 vol 166 cc736-7W
49. Mr. Fisher

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the financial resources available for food safety for 1990–91 in his Ministry.

Mr. Maclean

Following a reorganisation of the Ministry headquarters, resources have been transferred to strengthen the newly created food safety directorate. Details of the Ministry's expenditure plans for 1990–91, including those for food safety, are covered in chapter 3 (Cm. 1003) of the 1990 public expenditure White Paper which was published on 30 January. A more detailed analysis of the Ministry's expenditure plans for 1990–91 will be published in March in class III of the 1990–91 supply estimates.

57. Mr. Fishburn

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what publications he has made available to the general public on the subject of chemical safety of food.

Mr. Maclean

Several publications are available, free of charge, in our "Food Sense" series including booklets on food additives, pesticides and food and food surveillance. The latter also lists the 26 individual food surveillance papers available from HMSO. A 27th entitled "Lead in Food: Progress Report" was published recently. Various reports from the Food Advisory Committee, the Veterinary Products Committee and the Advisory Committee on Pesticides are also available from HMSO.

61. Mr. Caborn

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the operation of his food safety directorate.

Mr. Maclean

The food safety directorate brings together the divisions in the Department with the main responsibility for matters relating to the safe production and handling of foodstuffs and other consumer protection matters concerned with food. The directorate will report to me as Minister of food.

73. Mr. Rooker

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what initiatives he has taken to improve food safety in the past three months.

Mr. Maclean

The major initiatives on food safety during the last three months have been the introduction of the Food Safety Bill and the establishment of a food safety directorate within my Department. In addition, work has continued on a large number of initiatives aimed at effective and comprehensive food safety controls.

81. Mr. Hayward

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the European Community has awarded any contracts to the Institute of Food Research for work in the field of food safety and quality.

Mr. Gummer

The European Commission has selected the six shared-cost projects listed in the table, involving the Institute of Food Research for contract negotiation in the field of food safety and quality:

  1. 1. Application of oxidoreductases for food preservation.
  2. 2. New technologies and raw materials for nutritious and attractive cereal products.
  3. 3.Investigation of the minimum level of sulphur dioxide required for optimum red wine quality.
  4. 4. Mechanisms of food intolerance: relationship between gut mucosal integrity, allergy and adverse reactions.
  5. 5. Development of computer-aided process design procedures to improve quality and safety of products with a limited shelf life.
  6. 6. Study of production and utilisation of fibres with functional qualities and beneficial nutritional properties.

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