§ Michael FabricantTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the safety of milk and milk products, with particular regard to the foot and mouth outbreak. [588]
§ Yvette Cooper[holding answer 28 June 2001]The Food Standards Agency (FSA) advise that the current outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in the United Kingdom does not pose a threat to the safety of milk and milk products from animals infected with the disease. In addition, the FSA advise that the current evidence indicates no increased public health risk from dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls released from foot and mouth pyres for the vast majority of people who consume milk or dairy products produced on land within two kilometres of the pyres. Farmers and their customers who consume milk exclusively from such a source have been advised that there may be a slightly higher, although still very small, additional risk. This advice is precautionary until the results of the FSA's testing programme are available.