§ Andrew GeorgeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussion he has had with colleagues in other Government Departments on(a) the level of illegal meat imports into the UK and (b) the effectiveness of controls and enforcement measures at (i) ports, (ii) airports and (iii) elsewhere to tackle illegal meat imports; and what assessment he has made of the need for further action. [19305]
§ Yvette Cooper[holding answer 29 November 2001]The Food Standards Agency, which is responsible for public health issues relating to food safety, is taking an active role in an interdepartmental review led by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs aimed at co-ordinating action across Government to ensure that rules governing imports of products of animal origin are enforced effectively.
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§ Mr. HuttonBirth certificates are the responsibility of the Office for National Statistics.
There are no figures currently available to indicate the level of losses to the national health service as a result of the fraudulent use of birth certificates.