§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what action his Department has taken in the past two years when the rates of(a) food sampling and (b) food analysis by local authorities, in relation to their statutory duties on food law, have fallen;[77512]
(2) if he will list the occasions on which he has taken action in respect of a local authority which failed to take sufficient or appropriate samples of food in relation to its statutory duties under food law in the last five years. [77952]
§ Mr. RookerLocal authorities whose sampling rates fall below acceptable levels are sent a written reminder of their obligations by the Ministry. To date there have been no occasions when action has been required under section 42 of the Food Safety Act 1990.
§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how much money was(a) allocated to and (b) spent by each individual local authority in each of the financial years 1989–90 to 1997–98 on the sampling and analysis of food, pursuant to their statutory duty;[77499]
(2)how much money was spent in each year between 1989–90 and 1997–98 and in 1998–99 to date by local authorities on their statutory duties in relation to food; and what percentage this was of the total sum provided in the standard spending assessment for each of those financial years for the enforcement of the law in relation to food control;[77522]
(3)how much was spent, in each of the financial years since 1989–90, by local authorities in relation to (i) food sampling and (ii) food analysis;[77536]
327W
§ Mr. RookerEnforcement of Food Law remains with local authorities and we do not hold figures on local authority expenditure on food control centrally.