Only eight food hygiene staff to inspect 1,800 businesses

Food hygiene inspections are being contracted out because government has just eight qualified staff to inspect 1,800 Island businesses.

So says Environment, Food and Agriculture Minister Clare Barber, who faced questions from Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse in the House of Keys this week.

She explained her department has tendered for inspection services - which will first focus on cafes, restaurants takeaways and bars - with the results due to be made public.

And she added the eight qualified DEFA staff are stretched thin because food hygiene is only a small part of their duties: