§ Mr. MaclennanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what additional resources he is making available to local authorities to enable environmental health officers to undertake the classification of shellfish harvesting areas to meet the requirements of EC directive 91/492.
§ Sir Hector Monro[holding answer 21 May 1992]: Environmental health officers have not been asked to undertake the classification of shellfish harvesting areas. The exercise is being undertaken by my Department's marine laboratory in Aberdeen. The local authority role is limited to the collection of samples and their transmission to the marine laboratory.
Draft regulations for implementing this directive and that for the placing on the market of fishery products (EEC 91/493) will shortly issue for consultation. COSLA has indicated its intention to raise resource implications for local authorities arising from the tasks environmental health authorities will be expected to undertake under both directives. Any representations received will be given careful consideration. It should be borne in mind that substantial resources were provided to local authorities linked to the implementation of the Food Safety Act to which these directives are closely linked.