§ Mr. CallaghanTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the contaminants for which milk is tested before sale; and if he will make a statement. [35057]
§ Mrs. BrowningUnder the Dairy Products (Hygiene) Regulations 1995, it is the responsibility of industry to ensure that appropriate tests are carried out on milk to detect any residues of substances having pharmacological or hormonal action or of other substances which are harmful to human health, or which might be harmful to human health if those residues exceeded permitted tolerance limits. The regulations also include microbiological standards for milk. Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that the requirements are complied with and that dairy products are safe for human consumption. In addition, as part of its surveillance plan, MAFF carries out surveillance for a range of contaminants in milk. Results of the surveillance are published in annual reports or through the food safety information bulletin. Milk supplies are routinely tested for bacteriological quality and antibiotics, but not for other contaminants.