Lord Lucasasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Donoughue on 4 December (WA 199), whether they accept that there are a number of diseases, including BSE, which may be transmitted by feeding mammalian blood products to animals of the same species; whether they accept it as a lesson of the BSE epidemic that such practices should be avoided; and whether they will now prohibit this practice.
§ Lord DonoughueDried plasma and other blood products are excluded from the scope of the prohibition on the inclusion of mammalian protein in ruminant feed under both EC and domestic legislation.
We are not aware of any evidence to show that BSE may be transmitted by feeding mammalian blood products to animals of the same species. If the noble Lord maintains that evidence exists for such transmission, I would be grateful for further details.