§ Mr. BarronTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what assessment he has made of the risks of transmission to humans of BSE or its human Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease variant through(a) milk, (b) cheese, (c) butter, (d) yoghurt and (e) cream. [7138]
(2) what evidence he has evaluated that BSE or its human Cruetzfeldt-Jakob disease variant cannot be transmitted to humans through dairy products; and if he will make a statement; [7139]
(3) what assessment he has made of the relative risks of transmission to humans of BSE or its human Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease variant through (a) dairy products, (b) muscle meat and (c) animal offal. [7137]
§ Mrs. BrowningLinks between nvCJD and CSE have not yet been scientifically established. Nevertheless, in considering issues of public health, we have always proceeded on the precautionary principle that BSE could pose a risk to public health.
In the case of dairy products, the primary perceived source of infectivity would be the raw material, milk, or any additional material of bovine origin used in the manufacture of the product. Experiments to detect infectivity in milk of clinically affected cows have been carried out using either intracerebral or oral exposure of susceptible mice. All results, which were negative, have been published in scientific journals and in information provided to the House from time to time.
The information has been made available to the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee—SEAC— and other expert groups—the World Health Organisation and OIE—who concluded that there was no justification for additional measures beyond the exclusion of milk from a known BSE suspect from the human and animal food chains. In March this year, and subsequently, 719W when it has reviewed the measures in place to protect public health, SEAC has not considered it necessary to extend measures relating to milk and milk products.
In the context of additional materials used in the manufacture of milk products, SEAC has also considered the safety of rennet, and did not believe that it presented a risk to human health.
§ Sir Ralph HowellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 11 November,Official Report, columns 47–8, if he will set out the factors which led him to conclude that exposure to BSE was the most likely explanation for the new variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. [6988]
§ Mr. HoramI have been asked to reply.
I refer the hon. Member to the statements made by me and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 20 and 25 March 1996, accepting advice from the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee—SEAC. The advice from SEAC is set out in its statements of 20 and24 March 1996, copies of which are available in the Library.