§ Mr. SkinnerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department intends to issue guidelines to local people in the area surrounding the Coalite plant in Derbyshire on eating home grown vegetables; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. SoamesIt is unlikely that vegetables would pose any hazard to consumers provided that they are washed or peeled as appropriate in the normal manner. The Department does not therefore propose to issue any guidelines.
§ Mr. SkinnerTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action his Ministry intends to take following the findings concerning the level of dioxin found in the blood of one of the farming families living near the Coalite plant in Derbyshire.
§ Mr. SackvilleI have been asked to reply.
Department of Health representatives, together with the local consultant in communicable disease control from North Derbyshire health authority, have already visited the family involved to give them the results and explain their significance.
Although the level of dioxins are higher than normal background levels, they are most unlikely to cause adverse health effects. The family is no longer exposed to the source of the dioxins as they no longer consume their own farm milk, and their blood dioxin levels are expected to decline in the future.