§ Mr. Andrew WelshTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will indicate what level of radiation contamination was present in soft fruit imported to Britain in each year from 1986 onwards;
(2) if he will make it his policy to monitor future imports of soft fruit to Britain for radiation contamination.
§ Mr. FreemanI have been asked to reply.
Central records on the monitoring of soft fruit food imports by port health authorities for radiation contamination following the Chernobyl nuclear accident show that since 1986 only consignments of dried prunes from Romania have exceeded maximum permitted levels.
826WAll consignments concerned have been refused entry into the United Kingdom. United Kingdom monitoring has not picked up any excess readings over the last two years.
Port health authorities are continuing to monitor food imports from outside the European Community in accordance with the latest European Council regulation (EEC No. 4003/89).