Written question asked by Martin Caton (Labour) on Wednesday, 17 July 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 19 September 2002. It was answered by Hazel Blears (Labour) on Thursday, 19 September 2002 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if the Food Standards Agency will divide the Burry Inlet Shellfishery into zones to permit cockle gathering in the parts of the estuary testing free of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning.

Answer: Mr. Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Food Standards Agency will divide the Burry Inlet Shellfishery into zones to permit cockle gathering in the parts of the estuary testing free of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning. [71811] Ms Blears: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has recently reviewed whether it would be possible to divide the Burry Inlet into zones in order to permit cockles to be gathered in parts of the estuary. Taking expert advice into account, the FSA does not currently consider the Burry Inlet to be suitable for dividing into zones at this time due a number of issues but primarily due to the erratic pattern of the results for the toxin detection on both sides of the Inlet. The FSA is keeping the situation in the Burry Inlet under review and will continue to liase with the local enforcement agencies and industry.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 71811; 390 c364W
Session: 2001-02
Subjects: Contamination Fisheries Inshore fishing Poisoning Carmarthenshire Cockles
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk