§ Sir Cranley OnslowTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to raise awareness in catering establishments and takeaways of the dangers of peanut allergy. [41136]
§ Mrs. BrowningFollowing the publicity about the dangers to allergic individuals of severe reactions to peanuts and other nuts, my officials met various sectors of the food industry, including the catering sector, to discuss what could be done. We are continuing to explore ways of improving awareness and encouraging information exchange and we are also in touch with consumer groups including the Anaphylaxis Campaign which has itself done much to alert sufferers to the dangers and to heighten awareness in the industry. In addition, the Ministry is investing £500,000 per year in research on food allergies to help elucidate the nature of the problem.