§ Mr. SykesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to publish the classification of-shellfish harvesting areas which is required under EC directive 91/492 laying down the health conditions for the production and placing on the market of live bivalve molluscs.
§ Mr. GummerOfficials from the Department have today circulated a preliminary version of the classification to interested parties for comment. I have placed a copy of the consultation letter and classification in the Library of the House.
All areas where bivalve mulluscs such as oysters, mussels and cockles are harvested are to be classified according to the bacterial contamination present in the mollusc flesh as required by EC directive 91/492/EEC.
The classification will provide an indication of whether the product can be placed on the market for human consumption or how it must be treated, either by purification, relaying or heat treatment.
The preliminary classification has been based on samples of bivalve molluscs taken by local authority environmental health officers from 75 known harvesting areas. Sample testing has been undertaken by public health laboratories and the results classified by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's fish disease laboratory in Weymouth.