§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made on the extent to which his Department's regulations relating to the food chain are currently enforced; and what assessment he has made of related risk factors over a five-year period. [36935]
§ Mrs. Browning[holding answer 23 July 1996]: Local authorities have the main responsibility for enforcing regulations on food and are required to make regular returns to central Government giving details of their food law enforcement activity. MAFF, through its agencies, the Meat Hygiene Service and ADAS, has direct enforcement responsibilities for enforcement of hygiene requirements in licensed fresh meat plants and on-farm milk production. Enforcement action under these arrangements is carefully monitored and where queries arise appropriate follow-up action is taken.
Risk assessment is the responsibility of the relevant enforcement officers. Guidance on this is given in Food Safety Act codes of practice and other guidance issued by the Government. The relevant enforcement officers conduct these risk assessments and use the results in drawing up their inspection programmes of food premises. In addition, the Government are funding a major study into the causes of infectious intestinal disease. This includes the identification of a wide range of factors associated with foodborne infection.