BSE: SOUTHWOOD REPORT (Hansard, 28 February 1989)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Trumpington)

The Secretary of State for Health and1030WA the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food are very grateful to Sir Richard Southwood and his colleagues for all their work and for their report on BSE which was presented to us on 9th February and is published today. They appointed the working party in April last year to examine and advise on the implications of BSE in relation to both animal health and any possible human health risks. Before receiving any recommendations from the working party, the Minister had already banned from 18th July last year the feeding to ruminants of ruminant-derived protein feed immediately this was identified as being the probable source of the problem; and other important parts of the report have already been acted upon.

The report concludes that the risk of transmission of BSE to humans appears remote and it is therefore most unlikely that BSE will have any implications for human health. It points out that the related disease scrapie in sheep has been present in the UK for over 200 years and there has been no evidence of transmission to man. The report also concludes that from present evidence it is likely that cattle will prove to be a dead-end host for the disease agent.

However, the working party point out that if their assessment proves incorrect the implications would be serious. The working party believe that the disease has developed because of feeding practices associated with modern agriculture. They suggest that, in the context of the adjustment of the agricultural policy of the EC in coming years, consideration should be given to changes in present methods. The Minister discussed this point with Sir Richard Southwood who has said that his working party are not recommending a ban on all use of meat and bone meal in animal feeds, but are concerned that if they continue to be used they should be effectively sterilised.

The working party have greatly welcomed the speed with which the Government acted to ban the use of the animal feed rations in question and also to implement their interim recommendations. These measures include the compulsory slaughter of cattle suspected of having BSE and the removal from the food chain of their milk and carcases. The working party believe that the risks as at present perceived would not justify special labelling requirements for products containing either bovine brains or spleen. The report suggests, however, that manufacturers of baby foods should avoid the use of bovine thymus and offal. Sir Richard Southwood has confirmed that the term "offal" as it is used in the report (as defined in the regulations quoted) refers to brain, spinal chord, spleen and intestines (tripe). The chief medical officer is satisfied that none of these, nor thymus, is used in the manufacture of baby food and advises that mothers ought not to feed these materials to infants of say under 18 months. As a precautionary measure the Minister is however taking steps to ensure through secondary legislation that it will be illegal for anyone to sell baby food containing such products in future. With regard to other meats which people sometimes refer to as offal, like kidney, liver and heart, the chief medical officer advises that there is no need for concern. These are extremely nutritious foods which are beneficial.

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The Government also accepted an earlier recommendation to establish a consultative committee on research. This will be under the chairmanship of Dr. David Tyrrell of the Medical Research Council. This committee will advise my department and the Department of Health on research work in progress or proposed in relation to BSE and the other transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, on any additional work required, and on the priorities for future research.Terms of reference and full membership are now agreed as reported also today to Parliament. Although the risk of transmission to humans is very remote, there are several further actions the Government propose to take as a matter of extreme prudence in response to the other recommendations in the report.These add up to a comprehensive response to all the working party recommendations. The measures are as follows:

—we accept the importance the report attaches to the success of the study to determine whether cattle to cattle transmission can take place; and we are taking expert advice on the most effective way of continuing this study;

—the Committee on the Safety of Medicines and the Veterinary Products Committee have considered the comments of the working party on the implications of BSE for the manufacture of pharmaceutical products from bovine material; and agree that any risks of transmission of BSE through medicinal products to man appear remote; as a precautionary measure however they have advised that additional guidance should be issued to medicine manufacturers on good manufacturing practice;

—the Health and Safety Executive will be considering what further action is necessary to ensure that the existing guidance to occupational groups involved with cattle is followed: this guidance outlines hygiene procedures which are considered to be appropriate for BSE;

—although the report makes it clear that there is no evidence of any link between CreutzfeldtJakob disease in humans and BSE in cattle (or with scrapie in sheep, which has been present in the UK for over 200 years), the Chief Medical Officer is ensuring mechanisms are in place to detect any change in the pattern of CreutzfeldtJakob disease;

—a thorough research programme is under way into the epidemiological background to the disease, and into transmissibility and genetic and microbiological aspects; research expenditure in 1988–89 is likely to amount to almost £1 million; we shall continue encouraging and funding further research in this area, taking into account recommendations made by the Tyrrell Committee;

—as far as the working party's recommendations on animal feed are concerned we have already acted to ban the feeding of ruminant-derived material to ruminants; further action will be taken as necessary in the light of research work 1032WA already under way on the heat-resistance of the agent and of any further research which may be recommended by the Tyrrell Committee.