§ Mr. Scott-Hopkinsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is aware that anthrax germs were traced last week in bone meal supplied to farmers by a Liverpool company, the name of which has been sent to him, and analysed at the Aynsome Laboratories, Grange over Sands; and what action he proposes to take, in view of the recent outbreaks of anthrax in Great Britain.
§ Mr. John MackieI am grateful to the hon. Member for this information which is consistent with the conclusions reached by the Department's veterinary staff as a result of inquiries initiated by them early in November into recent outbreaks of anthrax in farm animals, which in the past five or six weeks have been occurring in greater numbers than usual and over a wide area of Great Britain. These inquiries have indicated that the probable source of contamination in a high proportion of the outbreaks was the meat and bone meal content of certain compounded feedingstuffs originating in Liverpool.
Most of the suspect feedingstuffs have now been withdrawn, although some supplies have not been traced and their use may result in further outbreaks.
We have been considering for some time whether there is justification for additional control over imported bones: this is a complicated issue, as the hon. Member may be aware, but investigations are proceeding.