Day 107 - 24 Mar 95 - Page 49


     
     1        for so doing and you are that concerned" -- "that
     2        concerned", you will notice that I emphasise that word --
     3         "about the risk of food poisoning, you must on the same
     4        quality of evidence:  Refrain from eating bean shoots;
     5        avoid any meals in hospital, whether you are staff or
     6        patient; avoid any function catering produced by a Trust
     7        House Forte or its subsidiaries; avoid eating at any Hilton
     8        hotel; avoid unpasturised milk; avoid oysters like the
     9        plague; avoiding eating sandwiches from any sandwich bar;
    10        do not eat peanuts, dried figs, dessicated coconut, or any
    11        poultry, pork or beef product whatsoever; do not eat pate
    12        in hotels or restaurants and do not give dried milk to your
    13        baby; shun chocolate products of foreign origin; eating
    14        pork pies or any manufactured cold, cooked meats is highly
    15        risky, including salami, especially from well-known
    16        supermarkets; avoid any form of cooked chill or "fresh
    17        chilled ready meals"; do not eat soft cheese or any form of
    18        preprepared coleslaw.  These last products may kill you.
    19        You might survive on jam and bread but even bread is
    20        suspect these days, since they stopped use preservatives in
    21        it.  The jam might be dubious as well.  Your best bet,
    22        according to Professor Lacey,  is canned dog food."
    23
    24        I do not take those words literally and you will tell me
    25        I am right not do to so, will you not?
    26        A.  The irony was clearly intended.
    27
    28   Q.   The irony is clearly intended; it is a reductive and
    29        absurdity, is it not, designed to show the idiocy of those
    30        who scaremonger about food poisoning?
    31        A.  Indeed.
    32
    33   Q.   Did you in 1990 co-author -- it is a horrid word but you
    34        know what I mean -- a book, I do not know whether she is a
    35        dame or Mrs. ---
    36        A.  Mrs.
    37
    38   Q.   -- Theresa Gorman, M.P. called "Chickengate"?
    39        A.  Yes.
    40
    41   Q.   You did.  Can I ask you -- this is not an idle enquiry --
    42        what amount of the book did she actually write?
    43        A.  The last chapter, in essence.  We worked together, but
    44        the actual writing was mine.
    45
    46   Q.   Were, what I might call, the environmental health nuts and
    47        bolts all supplied by you?
    48        A.  Yes -- no, in fact not.  A lot of the information came
    49        from parliamentary questions which Mrs. Gorman asked.
    50 
    51   Q.   This is in 1990, so we are getting ever closer in date to 
    52        1995.  Please turn to page 113. 
    53
    54   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Tab 9.
    55
    56   MR. RAMPTON:  You will find that in the top right hand page of
    57        the book?
    58        A.  Yes.
    59
    60   Q.   Perhaps I will begin, if I may -- I do not want to ruin

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