Food Hygiene (Hansard, 9 February 1996)

§ Mr. Hood
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the annual cost of implementing food and hygiene legislation. [13552]

§ Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
This information is not held centrally.

§ Mr. Hood
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has had from local authorities on matters relating to food hygiene. [13581]
377W

§ Mr. Robertson
Officials of the Scottish Office regularly receive inquiries from local authorities about food hygiene matters. Within the last 12 months, formal representations have been received about the payment of the costs of a court case and procedures laid down in codes of practice. Representations were also received about the sale of raw goats' milk.

§ Mr. Hood
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what support he affords local authorities who face legal action for implementing their statutory responsibility under food and hygiene legislation. [13554]

§ Mr. Robertson
Although my right hon. Friend provides around 85 per cent. of local authorities' total funding for non-housing net current expenditure, most of that support is provided by way of a block grant. No allowance is made, either in deciding the overall level of support or in the distribution of support among authorities, for expenditure resulting from legal action of any kind.

§ Mr. Hood
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prosecutions there have been of businesses for breach of the food and hygiene legislation in Scotland in each year since 1992. [13580]

§ Mr. Robertson
The following figures show the numbers of companies in Scotland against which proceedings were brought where the main alleged offence was a breach of the Food Safety Act 1990 or of food hygiene regulations.

1992: 52

1993: 34

1994: 26

§ Mr. Hood
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how he ensures that local authorities implement food and hygiene legislation. [13553]

§ Mr. Robertson
Local authorities submit quarterly statistical returns to the Scottish Office which summarise their activities carried out under food safety legislation.

§ Mr. Hood
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has had from industry concerning food hygiene legislation; and if he will make a statement. [13582]

§ Mr. Robertson
During the last 12 months my right hon. Friend has received representations from the industry about the enforcement of food safety legislation and the sale of unpasteurised goats' milk.
Industry guides to good hygiene practice are being developed by various sectors of the food industry in consultation with the Government and food legislation enforcers. These guides should help industry to meet their legal obligations and to ensure food safety.

£ million

1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 forecast 1996–97 planned provision

Set-aside access scheme — — — — — 0.1 0.5

Environmentally sensitive areas 0.9 1.1 1.1 1.0 1.0 2.5 5.0

Farm conservation grant 3.5 3.5 3.1 5.3 5.1 3.8 3.0

Farm woodland premium — — — 0.5 1.1 1.7 3.0

Habitats — — — — — — 0.6

Heather moorland — — — — — — 2.9

Organic aid — — — — — 0.1 0.2

378W

£ million
	1990–91	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94	1994–95	1995–96 forecast	1996–97 planned provision
Set-aside access scheme	—	—	—	—	—	0.1	0.5
Environmentally sensitive areas	0.9	1.1	1.1	1.0	1.0	2.5	5.0
Farm conservation grant	3.5	3.5	3.1	5.3	5.1	3.8	3.0
Farm woodland premium	—	—	—	0.5	1.1	1.7	3.0
Habitats	—	—	—	—	—	—	0.6
Heather moorland	—	—	—	—	—	—	2.9
Organic aid	—	—	—	—	—	0.1	0.2