§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now outlaw the use of animal carcases as foodstuffs for pigs.
§ Mr. MacleanThere is no scientific evidence to indicate that such action is necessary. Pigs are omnivores, unlike cattle and sheep, which are ruminants. They are in particular likely to have had heavy exposure to the bovine spongiform encephalopathy agent through the feeding of meat and bone meat derived from ruminants without any ill effect. The Southwood report acknowledged the importance of the feed ban for ruminants but did not recommend it be extended to pigs and poultry.