§ Sir Richard BodyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will oppose any ban on the use of phenylbutazone imposed by the European Union. [11007]
§ Mr. RookerPhenylbutazone is currently being evaluated within the European Union for the purpose of fixing a maximum residue limit. If an MRL cannot be set, in principle the administration of phenylbutazone to a food-producing animal would not be permitted. However, in that event, the United Kingdom would use a procedure agreed with the European Commission—if a horse is not destined for human consumption, an MRL will not be required. Phenylbutazone could therefore continue to be authorised for use in horses in the United Kingdom. There would be a requirement that the product should be clearly marked to indicate that it cannot be used in any animal intended for human consumption.