asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the powers available to the Government and local authorities to ensure that food unfit for human consumption is either destroyed or only used for animal food or other purposes under strict safeguards; and what action followed the representations made last March in this regard by the Epping Forest District Council with the support of the hon. Members for Epping Forest and for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. McCrindle).

As has already been indicated to the hon. Member, we accept the need for the law to be strengthened. But this is a complex matter and I am not yet in a position to put forward specific proposals.