Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate the Government has made of how much imported pig meat containing hepatitis E has been sold in British supermarkets in each of the last five years; and what steps the Government is taking to reduce the risk of such infection to consumers.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) does not have estimates on how much imported pork meat contaminated with infectious hepatitis E virus (HEV) has been sold in British supermarkets in each of the last five years.

The FSA continues to provide advice to consumers about cooking all raw pork and pork product thoroughly and handling them hygienically as this will reduce the risk of illness from harmful foodborne bacteria and viruses like HEV. The FSA is also funding research to address significant knowledge gaps on HEV.