§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his attitude towards the use of non-consumed sites for the administration of artificial substances to prevent high concentration of such substances being inadvertantly eaten by human beings 390W when veal is eaten; and whether he is satisfied that present regulations prevent or reduce to the absolute minimum the incidence of errors that result in illnesses.
§ Mr. WigginI assume that the question relates to growth-promoting substances. Those substances licensed for use in calves in this country under the Medicines Act 1968 are in the form of implants. The licences specify that the products be used in a part of the animal, such as the ear, which is discarded at the slaughterhouse, and the minimum periods between implantation and slaughter of the animals for human consumption are stated. Provided that the licence conditions are observed, the meat from treated animals should not contain undesirable levels of the implanted substance. We have no evidence of illness in this country resulting from the consumption of veal or veal products from calves treated with growth-promoting implants.
§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the artificial substances which the Federation of European Veterinarians allows to be fed to calves to improve quality and product content of the veal obtained when animals which are fed such substances are slaughtered.
§ Mr. WigginThe incorporation of additives in animal feeding stuffs is subject to the requirements of directive 70/524/EEC rather than to the views of the Federation of Veterinarians in Europe.