§ Mr. Warrenasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce legislation banning the importation of eggs and poultry meat from those countries in the Common Market which freely allow the use of antibiotics in poultry feed and which refuse to take egg and poultry meat exports from Great Britain because the use of antibiotics is banned in the United Kingdom, or seek to ensure that the EEC Feed Additives Directive is implemented.
§ Mr. MoyleNo. As explained in the reply given to the hon. Member for Banbury (Mr. Marten) on 25th March—[Vol. 171W 871, c. 17.]—the use of antibiotics in poultry feed for laying birds is controlled by EEC legislation; and imports of poultry meat from member countries which do not control the use of antibiotics are not significant. Our control of the use of antibiotics provides no ground for refusal to take egg and poultry meat exports from Great Britain but it is understood that France prohibits the importation of eggs and poultry meat from countries which do not ban the use of arsenical and certain other substances for poultry feeding. We have proposed the amendment of the EEC Feed Additives Directive to permit the use of arsenical and other additives at present permitted in the United Kingdom. When Community decisions have been reached on these additives it will be possible for us to complete implementation of the directive.