§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to his answer to the hon. Member for South Shields, 11 March,Official Report, column 400, how many inquiries he has received regarding the licensing of irradiation plants; if he will list the companies making the inquiries; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerI do not believe it would be appropriate to list companies making inquiries about irradiation licences, some of which may have been purely exploratory. Details of each licence granted will be published in the London and EdinburghGazettes as required by the Food (Control of Irradiation) Regulations 1990.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to his answer to the hon. Member for South Shields, 11 March,Official Report, columns 400–1 whether he intends to set up a new committee to consider applications for licences for irradiation plants in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerI can see no case for a new committee. The committee of which full details were given in my answer to the hon. Member for South Shields on 11 March at column400–01 has been in existence only since 1 January. Moreover, this group was specifically constituted so as to be able to give authoritative advice on all considerations relevant to the granting of a licence.