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Police

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what level of fitness is required for police officers;

Asked by

Bob Russell (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

23 January 2006

Reference

42461; 441 c1785-6W

House

House of Commons

Police

(2) if he will instigate an assessment of (a) the fitness of police officers and (b) possible measures to improve fitness.

Asked by

Bob Russell (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

23 January 2006

Reference

42458; 441 c1785-6W

House

House of Commons

Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance his Department has published on (a) the vision levels that police drivers need to achieve and (b) how frequently they should receive eye checks.

Asked by

Mark Oaten (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

25 February 2004

Reference

418 c436W;418 c456W; 155058

House

House of Commons

Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what use has been made by chief officers of police of accreditations under community safety accreditation schemes under section 41 of the Police Reform Act 2002. - Including figures.

Asked by

Karen Buck (Labour)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

8 December 2003

For answer on

16 December 2003

Answered on

16 December 2003

Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what use has been made by chief officers of police of accreditations under community safety accreditation schemes under section 41 of the Police Reform Act 2002. [143569] Ms Blears: In total, six forces have used powers under section 41 of the Police Reform Act. Five forces have accredited 16 Vehicle Inspectors employed by the Vehicle Operator Services Agency (VOSA). The inspectors have been issued with the power to stop vehicles for the purpose of testing. This allows them to test vehicles without police assistance and so frees police officers to focus on other tasks. The five forces are Cambridgeshire, Greater Manchester, Northumbria, North Wales and Staffordshire. In addition, Hampshire Police have accredited five employees of Southampton City Council, to enable them to be more effective in dealing with anti-social behaviour. Hampshire police received £20,000 central funding from the Home Office to help with the project costs of setting the scheme up. The Home Office has allocated a total of £450,000 funding to 21 pathfinder forces (including Hampshire) in this financial year to assist them with setting up community safety accreditation schemes. The funded schemes will accredit those already conducting patrols in communities to enhance the reassurance that these staff provide and make them more effective in dealing with anti-social behaviour. Forces involved in the first tranche of schemes in this first phase of accreditation are mainly intending to accredit wardens employed in or by local authorities.

Legislation

Police Reform Act 2002

Date

16 December 2003

Reference

415 c861W; 143569

House

House of Commons

Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what appraisals of the safety and reliability records of different types of pistols are being undertaken in relation to weapons recommended for police use.

Asked by

Lord Hammond of Runnymede (Conservative)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

6 October 2003

Reference

130697; 410 c1244W

House

House of Commons

Dept of Health

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department spent on (a) polymerase chain reaction and (b) other DNA-identification tests in each of the last 10 years; what steps the Food Standards Agency is taking to improve the polymerase chain reaction testing regime. - Inc table.

Asked by

Andrew George (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department of Health

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

29 May 2003

For answer on

10 June 2003

Answered on

10 June 2003

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much his Department spent on (a) polymerase chain reaction and (b) other DNA- identification tests in each of the last 10 years; [116853] (2) what steps the Food Standards Agency is taking to improve the polymerase chain reaction testing regime. [116854] Ms Blears: The Department did not fund development of any such tests until the Food Standards Agency (FSA) was established in April 2000. Since then an estimated total of £1.5 million has been spent on methods using DMA techniques to identify the presence of specific ingredients in foodstuffs. A breakdown of the amount spent per year is shown in the table. The projects have been looking at use of DNA methods to check the labelling of a wide range of foods, especially meat and fish products. All but one of these methods use polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based techniques. The FSA is currently funding ten research projects aimed at improving PCR methodology for use in authenticity surveys and enforcement of labelling legislation. These tests are aimed at developing methods for identifying ingredients of a wide range of products, including vegetarian foods, and identifying varieties, for example of potatoes and rice. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Completed in Year Range of foodstuffs included No. of projects Total cost (£s) 2000 Food mixtures, meat. 3 75,021 2001 Meat, wine, seafood, fish, 6 423,098 olive oil, chicken. 2002 Potatoes, rice, meat, olive and 5 343,549 hazelnut oil. 2003 White fish, jams and yoghurts, 10 725,286 (estimated) vegetarian foods, meat, rice, potato, chicken breasts. _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Date

10 June 2003

Reference

406 c842W;406 c843-4W; 116853;116854

House

House of Commons

Dept of Health

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many food samples were subjected to polymerase chain reaction tests by the Food Standards Agency in each year since the Agency was established; and what proportion of those tests identified DNA from products other than the food sample tested, broken down...

Asked by

Andrew George (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department of Health

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

29 May 2003

For answer on

10 June 2003

Answered on

10 June 2003

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many food samples were subjected to polymerase chain reaction tests by the Food Standards Agency in each year since the Agency was established; and what proportion of those tests identified DNA from products other than the food sample tested, broken down by category. [116855] Ms Blears: Since the Food Standards Agency was established, it has completed three surveys using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as the basis of checking the description or labelling of foods. The details of these surveys are shown in the table. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Date/year Title/Purpose of study Number of samples Number of samples Proportion of samples and foodstuff sampled collected containing foreign DNA containing foreign DNA (%) December 2001 Survey of meat content, 68 (1 sample = 10kg. 2 samples contained pork 3 added water and Carton) DNA. hydrolysed protein in catering chicken breasts January 2002 Pilot study: Analysis of 203 31 samples contained 15 (of which only 1.5% GM soya content in traces of GM soya, but above legal threshold retail baked goods only 3 of these limit). (including bread, cakes, contained more than 1% buns and rolls). GM soya. March 2003 Co-ordinated enforcement 25 11 samples contained 48 exercise on meat pork DNA. 1 sample content, added water, contained pork & beef and hydrolysed proteins DNA. in catering chicken breasts. _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Date

10 June 2003

Reference

116855; 406 c843-4W

House

House of Commons

Dept of Health

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what proportion of (a) CT scans, (b) MRI scans, (c) ultrasound scans, (d) X-ray tests and (e) audiology tests were classed as (i) consultant-led first out-patient appointments and (ii) consultant-led in-patient elective admissions in the last year for which figures are available....

Asked by

Archie Norman (Conservative)

Answering body

Department of Health

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

14 May 2003

Reference

109660; 405 c320W;405 c318W

House

House of Commons

Dept of Health

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much the Food Standards Agency has spent in the last two years on research into (a) Basmati rice, (b) balsamic vinegar and (c) sodium alternatives.

Asked by

Janet Anderson (Labour)

Answering body

Department of Health

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

12 May 2003

Reference

111206; 405 c105W

House

House of Commons

Dept of Health

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 27th March, 382 c397W, on food labelling, for what reasons the number of informal samples of foodstuffs declined in the last 10 years; and what measures he is taking to reverse the trend. (Holding answer 6 May...

Asked by

Roger Williams (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department of Health

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

29 April 2003

For answer on

12 May 2003

Answered on

12 May 2003

Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 27 March 2003, Official Report, column 397W, on food labelling, for what reasons the number of informal samples of foodstuffs declined in the last 10 years; and what measures he is taking to reverse the trend. [111215] Ms Blears: [holding answer 6 May 2003]: The responsibility for the enforcement of food labelling Regulations and associated food sampling under the Food Safety Act 1990 rests with local authorities. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has raised its concerns about the decline in local authority food sampling activity and is taking forward a number of initiatives with local authorities to reverse the trend. There appears to be no single cause for the fall in sampling. The FSA has carried out a focussed audit programme to examine local authority sampling and make recommendations. A report will be published later this year. The FSA is already taking action to help to ensure that effective food sampling arrangements are in place in all local authorities. The FSA is working with local authorities co-ordinators of regulatory services (LACORS) to develop better co-ordination and targeting of food and feed standards sampling throughout the United Kingdom. Local authorities and public analysts are also being involved more closely in the FSA's own food surveillance activities. The FSA is also working with LACORS and with the association of public analysts to develop a UK samples database, which will help local authorities to target their sampling programmes more effectively. More emphasis has also been placed on sampling in the revised statutory code of practice, which is currently out for consultation. Under the code, local authorities are required to prepare and publish a food sampling policy and programme and make these available to food businesses and consumers. The FSA will also be providing more practical guidance on sampling for local authority enforcement officers.

Date

12 May 2003

Reference

111215; 405 c104-5W

House

House of Commons

Dept of Health

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the Food Standards Agency's policy on testing sheep for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies using the test developed by Professor Prusiner of the University of California.

Asked by

David Lidington (Conservative)

Answering body

Department of Health

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

1 May 2003

Reference

109850; 404 c517W

House

House of Commons

Dept of Health

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients who had received treatment at Leeds General Infirmary's Assisted Conception Unit before November 2002 have since taken DNA tests; whether the Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust will make public how many families are at risk from errors of procedure...

Asked by

Liam Fox (Conservative)

Answering body

Department of Health

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

14 April 2003

Reference

403 c604W; 106851;106852

House

House of Commons

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on National Institute for Clinical Excellence

Westminster Hall adjournment debate on National Institute for Clinical Excellence. (Inc ref to HC 515 2001/02 and Cm 5611).

Lead member

David Hinchliffe

Answering member

Hazel Blears

Department

Department of Health

Type

Adjournment debates

Date

10 April 2003

Reference

403 c124-52WH

House

House of Commons

Dept of Health

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether sperm donors are tested for AAT Deficiency.

Asked by

Tim Loughton (Conservative)

Answering body

Department of Health

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

9 April 2003

Reference

106604; 403 c313-4W

House

House of Commons

Dept of Health

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many food samples have been tested for correct (a) labelling, (b) composition, (c) claims and (d) other presentational matters in each of the last 10 years; and what proportion of those samples were found not to comply with the statements made...

Asked by

Roger Williams (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department of Health

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

11 March 2003

For answer on

27 March 2003

Answered on

27 March 2003

Mr. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many food samples have been tested for correct (a) labelling, (b) composition, (c) claims and (d) other presentational matters in each of the last 10 years; and what proportion of those samples were found not to comply with the statements made about them; [102865] (2) how many food sample checks regarding labelling have been undertaken by (a) the Food Standards Agency and (b) local authorities in each of the last 10 years. [103010] Ms Blears: Details of food sampling checks by local authorities are not recorded in the form requested by the hon. Member. It is not possible to identify separately those samples taken for labelling purposes for all of the last ten years. Such information that is available for all sampling activity is shown in the tables. The responsibility for enforcing the food labelling regulations, made under the Food Safety Act 1990, rests with local authorities. Figures for samples taken for this purpose are shown in table 1. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) receives annual returns from local authorities, under the European Union's Official Controls Directive, EEC/89/397, for all food sampling activity, not just for labelling checks. Before 2001, details of the reasons why samples were found to be unsatisfactory are not readily available. However, in 2001, under the new Framework Agreement on local authority food law enforcement, implemented by the FSA with effect from 1 January that year, 17 per cent. (27,280 samples) of the 163,993 official and informal samples taken were found to be unsatisfactory. Of these unsatisfactory samples, 31 per cent. (8,418) were found to be unsatisfactory with regard to labelling and presentation, and 24 per cent. (6,551) for composition. Official samples are those taken in the course of an official inspection procedure under the Food Safety Act 1990, where the results can be used in legal proceedings if appropriate. Informal samples are taken during other visits, such as for monitoring or screening. Over the last ten years, the FSA and its predecessor bodies have published the results of a number of surveys aimed at identifying problems with the labelling of food products, and carried out under its Food Authenticity Programme. These surveys have covered 6,523 samples, as shown in table 2. Table 1: Samples for all Foodstuffs Figures for the United Kingdom, for all sampling purposes _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Total number of official samples Total number of informal samples 1992 65,398 176,433 1993 67,959 179,001 1994 65,162 181,202 1995 63,726 183,327 1996 62,350 168,972 1997 65,130 158,687 1998 59,950 138,099 1999 50,379 140,719 2000 41,089 137,349 20011,2 86,614 77,379 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 1 The definitions of official and informal samples changed in 2001; 2 The 2001 figures have been revised and corrected since the OCD return was made on 31 July 2002. Source: UK return under European Union Official Controls Directive, EEC/89/397 Table 2: Food Authenticity Programme Surveys _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Date Published Survey Title Number of samples taken Proportion of samples Tested for: deemed unsatisfactory Labelling(L), (Percentage) Composition (C) or both (L,C) October 1993 Fish and fish products 239 9 L May 1994 Authenticity of soluble 344 15 C coffee February 1995 Dried durum wheat pasta 249 Less than 1 L November 1995 Single seed vegetable 291 8 C oils April 1996 Labelling of previously 534 8 L frozen meat and poultry March 1997 Undeclared irradiation 789 Less than 1 L of foodstuffs November 1997 Added water in cured 614 3 L pork November 1997 Whisky substitution in 161 3 L the on-trade September 1998 Substitution of smoked 289 2 L salmon with trout April 1999 Orange juice 186 0 L authenticity April 1999 Substitution of species 570 15 L in meat products June 1999 Authenticity of olive 125 3 C oils March 2000 Apple juice authenticity 151 Less than 1 L April 2000 Tuna species in tuna 607 Less than 1 L products Nov 2000 Added water in whole 261 27 L,C chickens and chicken parts December 2001 Meat content, added 68 46 L,C water and hydrolysed protein in catering chicken breasts May 2002 Corn (maize) oil survey 61 0 C June 2002 Irradiated Foods--herbs 543 12 L and spices, dietary supplements and prawn and shrimps August 2002 Antimony, arsenic, 161 0 C bromate and nickel contents of bottled water December 2002 Added water in raw 255 37 L scallops, ice-glazed (peeled) scampi tails and scampi content in coated (breaded) scampi products March 2003 Meat content, added 25 60 L,C water and hydrolysed protein in catering chicken breast. Total 6,523 _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Date

27 March 2003

Reference

402 c393-6W; 102865;103010

House

House of Commons

Dept of Health

(Pursuant to reply on 18.03.2003 at 401 c660W) To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he plans to charge the importers of non-animal foodstuffs from outside the EU for the testing of their imports into the United Kingdom under the proposals in the EU document of 10th February...

Asked by

Lord Deben (Conservative)

Answering body

Department of Health

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

27 March 2003

Reference

102848; 402 c395W

House

House of Commons

Dept of Health

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what tests are available to establish whether foodstuffs have been subject to irradiation; how many such checks were carried out in the last year for which figures are available; and what percentage of those checks identified that illegal irradiation had occurred.

Asked by

Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department of Health

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

10 March 2003

For answer on

18 March 2003

Answered on

18 March 2003

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what tests are available to establish whether foodstuffs have been subject to irradiation; how many such checks were carried out in the last year for which figures are available; and what percentage of those checks identified that illegal irradiation had occurred. [102670] Ms Blears: There are nine tests that have been standardised by European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) of these thermoluminescence and photostimulated luminescence techniques are the most useful. More specific tests include analysis for alkyl cyclobutanones and electron spin resonance analysis. The nine standardised detection tests for irradiated foods are: EN 1784:1996: Detection of irradiated food containing fat-- Gas chromatographic analysis of hydrocarbons. EN 1785:1996: Detection of irradiated food containing fat-- Gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric analysis of 2- alkylcyclobutanones EN 1786:1996: Detection of irradiated food containing bone-- Method by ESR spectroscopy EN 1787:2000: Detection of irradiated food containing cellulose by ESR spectroscopy EN 1788:2001: Detection of irradiated food from which silicate minerals can be isolated--Method by thermoluminescence EN 13708:2001: Detection of irradiated food containing crystalline sugar by ESR spectroscopy EN 13783:2001: Detection of irradiated food using Direct Epifluorescent Filter Technique/Aerobic Plate Count (DEFT/ APC)--Screening method EN 13784:2001: DNA comet assay for the detection of irradiated foodstuffs--Screening method EN 13751:2002: Detection of irradiated food using photostimulated luminescence. In June 2002, the Food Standards Agency published the results of a survey for irradiated foods. A total of 543 food samples were analysed. Of these, 58 were found to be illegal irradiated products and six were irradiated but not labelled as such.

Date

18 March 2003

Reference

102670; 401 c663-4W

House

House of Commons

Dept of Health

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he plans to charge the importers of non-animal foodstuffs from outside the EU for the testing of their imports into the United Kingdom under the proposals in the EU document of 10th February (EC Draft 6090/03). (Further information on 27.03.2003 at...

Asked by

Lord Deben (Conservative)

Answering body

Department of Health

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

18 March 2003

Reference

102848; 401 c660W;401 c659-60W

House

House of Commons

Dept of Health

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the availability of DIY genetic tests.

Asked by

Nigel Evans (Conservative)

Answering body

Department of Health

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

26 February 2003

Reference

97516; 400 c621W;400 c613W

House

House of Commons

Dept of Health

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what tests will be carried out to check the levels of canthaxanthin in (a) poultry and (b) eggs imported into this country from non-EU countries.

Asked by

Derek Wyatt (Labour)

Answering body

Department of Health

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

25 February 2003

Reference

97578; 400 c514W;400 c506W

House

House of Commons

Librarians' tools

Type

House

Session

Year

Department

Member

Primary member

Answering member

Legislative stage

Legislation

Subject

Publisher