§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask t he Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the product licences for animal medicines which have been granted without reference to the veterinary products committee in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Donald ThompsonEach year a number of licences (174 in 1986, 99 in 1987 and 198 in 1988) are issued for new products. All applications relating to previously unlicensed ingredients, or to ingredients which though previously licensed are proposed for new routes of administration or to treat additional diseases, or which otherwise raise problems of assessment are reported to the veterinary products committee. Others, including applications for licences for products identical to other products already licensed, are assessed by officials. In addition several hundred licences are issued each year to renew expiring licences, without reference to the VPC.
A record of licences issued without reference to the VPC is not maintained separately and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.