Question
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what assessment he has made on the safety of unpasteurised milk; what representations he has received from (i) individuals and (ii) organisations who believe it to be safe to drink.
Answer
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made on the safety of unpasteurised milk; what representations he has received from (i) individuals and (ii) organisations who believe it to be safe to drink; and if he will make a statement. [32119] Mr. Rooker: The independent Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food has expressed concern about the microbiological quality of unpasteurised cows' milk for drinking, and has recommended that sales of such milk be banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, as they are in Scotland. In response to the consultation on our proposal to ban such sales, we have received several hundred letters from individuals claiming the right to decide for themselves what they drink. We have received several petitions signed by like-minded individuals. A number of organisations also wish for sales of raw cows' drinking milk to continue.