Health and Community Care Committee, 12 Jun 2001

Meeting date: Tuesday, June 12, 2001

Official Report 72KB pdf

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Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning) (Orkney) (Scotland) Order 2001 (SSI 2001/195)

Members were asked to indicate whether they wished to debate the affirmative instrument that is before us, which was originally circulated to members on 15 May. No comments have been lodged, so I suggest that we do not debate the instrument. Is that acceptable to the committee or does the committee want a debate with a time limit of 15 minutes?

Does anyone wish to debate the matter?

Members indicated disagreement.

The Subordinate Legislation Committee has nothing to report on the Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning) (Orkney) (Scotland) Order 2001, which is an emergency affirmative instrument. The minister is here, in case members have questions or points of clarification. The committee has indicated that it does not wish to debate the instrument, but there may be some points of clarification. Do members have any questions?

Over the past two years, we have met our friends the paralytic and amnesic shellfish on a few occasions; the committee is well aware of the issues and understands that emergency affirmative measures need to be taken on occasion.

Given that we have such a high-powered top table, it would be a shame not to ask a question.

As we have not discussed this issue for some time, I would like an update. The discussion was always on whether we gold-plated the recommendations and on the fact that the Irish somehow did not have to close down their waters and were able to continue fishing. I think I am right in saying that some cleaning-up was done before the prawns entered the food process. It was recommended that we learn from the Irish, but that recommendation seems to have been left high and dry. Have we learned anything from the Irish? Are we over-examining the problem and gold-plating procedures?

There are issues about amnesic shellfish poisoning that could perhaps be reported. You have a letter on that subject and one of the officials could update you on it. There are discussions about whether there can be changes there. As I was going to say in my speech, paralytic shellfish poisoning is even more of a health hazard than amnesic shellfish poisoning. There are no proposals to change the regulations on PSP.

In Europe, we have been making advances on the possibility of a tiered system for ASP rather than one for paralytic shellfish poisoning. We are waiting for the draft of the text of a Commission decision, which will show the detail of how the science of any system will work. The situation for the Republic of Ireland, as a member state, is exactly the same as it is for Scotland at the moment.

We had a useful meeting last Friday with the Scottish industry and some of the major enforcement authorities to thrash out the final text of a consultation letter on an enforcement regime in relation to a tiered system for Scotland. However, that is for ASP. To develop matters, we aim to put that letter out on Friday. We have not yet had any ASP-related closures on the west coast, but they are expected over the next few weeks. We cannot have a tiered system for PSP—it is a different toxin.

Are you saying that the Irish will adhere to the standards that are set in Scotland?

The Irish already have to adhere to the levels that are set in relation to closures in exactly the same way that Scotland has to. We have asked the Commission to allow us to have a tiered system, under which any part of the scallop that is deemed to be safe can be marketed. However, to do that we must have a robust enforcement regime, which must suit the Scottish industry rather than the industry in Ireland or other member states. Each member state's industry is different, but Scotland's is possibly the most complex.

So can we look forward to fewer closures throughout Scotland as a result of the new system? Will the new system give fishermen the opportunity to fish for longer periods of the year?

If we manage to get a system that the Food Standards Agency can recommend as continuing to protect consumer health, there might be parts of the scallop that could be marketed, where at the moment there would be a closure.

Motion moved,

That the Parliament's Health and Community Care Committee in consideration of the Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning) (Orkney) (Scotland) Order 2001 (SSI 2001/195) recommend that the order be approved.—[Malcolm Chisholm.]

Motion agreed to.

Thank you for your attendance—that was one of your easier visits.

You know that I like making speeches—it is terrible that you would not let me do that. [Laughter.]