Written question asked by Chris Huhne (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 16 April 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 18 April 2007. It was answered by Caroline Flint (Labour) on Monday, 14 May 2007 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Disease Control

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of the scope within Regulation 852/2004, Regulation 853/2004 and the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point regime for the use of the visual evidence given by inspectors to inform potential prosecutions for biosecurity lapses; and if she will make a statement.

Answer: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that EU Regulation 852/2004 requires adequate provision to be made for the storage and disposal of food waste, non-edible by-products and other refuse and for refuse stores to be designed and managed in such a way as to enable them to be kept clean and where necessary free of animals and pests. Guidance issued by the Agency to enforcement officers requires them to check for compliance with the requirements of Regulation 852/2004 during their periodic inspections of food businesses. Where enforcement officers find evidence, including visual evidence, of non- compliance by a food business operator, the enforcement measures that they may take range from informal oral advice to prosecution in the case of serious or repeated breaches.

Secondary information