§ Mr. Rankinasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many factory farms he visited while he was in Russia on an official visit; and what inquiries he made as to the extent to which antibiotics, tranquillisers, oestrogens and arsenical compounds are used to promote the growth of the animals reared in them as is done in Great Britain.
§ Mr. SoamesNone.
§ Mr. Rankinasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what subsidies are paid to those engaged in rearing animals by factory farm methods; and what was the amount paid in 1963 to persons engaged in factory farming.
§ Mr. SoamesAnimals which are eligible under the Fatstock Guarantee Scheme and the calf subsidy scheme get the appropriate subsidy payments, irrespective of the methods by which they may have been reared. It is neither feasible nor necessary to estimate how much was paid to producers engaged in any particular system of animal husbandry.
§ Mr. Rankinasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why oestrogens are injected into animals reared in factory farms; and if he is satisfied that this treatment has no secondary effect on those who consume the food produced in this way.
§ Mr. Scott-HopkinsSynthetic oestrogens are administered to fattening stock28W to increase the rate of liveweight gain and efficiency of feed conversion.
I am advised that the evidence available does not show any hazard to consumers from the edible tissues of animals so treated.