§ 99. Mrs. Joyce Butlerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the latest official advice he has received about the danger to health from antibiotics, hormones, and other drugs and agents used in food; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HoyThe Report of a Joint Committee of the Agricultural Research Council and the Medical Research Council, published in 1962 concluded that as the carcases of animals reared on feedingstuffs containing antibiotics contained no more than traces of these substances, there was no hazard to the consumer of such food. This subject is being kept under review. The direct use of antibiotics in food is restricted by the Preservatives in Food Regulations, 1962, in accordance with the advice my right hon. Friend's predecessor received from the Food Standards Committee. My right hon. Friend's Scientific Advisory Panel 99W has advised him that, on present knowledge the hormone residues in the flesh of farm livestock which have been treated according to current practice present no hazard to the consumer of the flesh of such livestock. The Food Additives and Contaminants Committee advises us regularly on other additives used in food. Its latest reports on Cyclamates and Solvents were published at the beginning of this month.