Unpasteurised Milk

Mr. Jack
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to publish the outcome of his consultation exercise on unpasteurised milk. [35288]

Dr. John Cunningham
[holding answer 19 March 1998]: We are taking stock of all the points raised in the consultation, which ended on 24 February, and an announcement will be made in due course.

Mr. Jack
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many consultees, and from which organisations, agreed with his proposals on unpasteurised milk. [35287]

Dr. John Cunningham
[holding answer 19 March 1998]: Fourteen organisations and companies agreed with the proposal to ban sales of raw cows' drinking milk. These were: British Medical AssociationBritish Veterinary AssociationChartered Institute of Environmental HealthCo-operative Union Ltd.Dairy Industry FederationInstitute of Food ResearchInstitute of Food Science and TechnologyLocal Authorities' Co-ordinating Body on Food and Trading StandardsMarks and Spencer PLCNational Dairymen's AssociationNational Institute for Research in DairyingPublic Health Laboratory ServiceRoyal College of PhysiciansUnigate.

In addition, 22 individual food authorities and 6 individual consumers wrote in support of the proposed ban.