Question
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list the powers available to him to ban the use of unpasteurised milk in England and Wales.
Answer
Mr. Jack: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the powers available to him to ban the use of unpasteurised milk in England and Wales. [17284] Dr. John Cunningham: Section 16 (1) (f) of the Food Safety Act 1990 empowers Ministers to make regulations prohibiting the sale of food where it appears necessary or expedient to them in the interests of the public health or to protect or promote the interests of consumers. In accordance with established procedure, any proposal to proceed with a ban, e.g. on the sale in England and Wales of raw cows' milk for drinking, would need to be notified under the Technical Standards Directive (83/189/EEC), to give the European Commission and the other member states the opportunity to express a view.