§ Mr. Joplingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the annual tonnage of poultry food that contains arsenicals; what percentage of poultry food production this represents; what percentage of these 228W foods are fed to laying hens; how many manufacturers include arsenicals in the rations of laying hens; what powers he has to prevent the inclusion of arsenicals in these feeds; and what is his policy towards excluding them and his plans for so doing.
§ Mr. BishopExact figures about the use of arsenicals in poultry feeds are not available but I understand that their use in feed for laying hens is very small.
The incorporation of medicinal products in animal feedingstuffs is regulated under the Medicines Act 1968, which enables me to revoke or vary licences on specific grounds related to the safety, quality or efficacy of the product or to misconduct by the licence holder, or by agreement.
As I stated in the House on 16th April—[Vol. 890, c. 585.]—the licences for products containing arsenical compounds have been varied with the agreement of the licence holders so as to exclude their incorporation in feed for commercial laying poultry.