HC Deb 20 March 1989 vol 149 cc472-3W
Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make it his policy not to grant a product licence for BST in the light of the trials at Winchester and Edinburgh showing that cows treated with bovine somatotropin fail to gain weight compared to control cows and that treated heifers lose weight;

(2) if he will make it his policy not to grant a product licence for BST in the light of the trials at Shinfield, Hurley and Newcastle showing that cows treated with bovine somatotropin lose body condition score;

(3) if he will make it his policy not to grant a product licence for BST in the light of the trials at Edinburgh, Shinfield and Hurley showing reproduction problems in treated cows;

(4) if he will make it his policy not to grant a product licence for BST in the light of evidence that treating cows with bovine somatotropin through regular non-therapeutic injections can leave tender swellings;

(5) if he will make it his policy not to grant a product licence for BST in the light of the fact that it is against the advice of the British Veterinary Association to inject cows daily for non-therapeutic purposes.

Mr. Donald Thompson

The policy for deciding applications for product licences is established by the Medicines Act 1968. In the case of BST products both data being generated in field trials and all other pertinent data will be rigorously assessed against the statutory criteria of safety, quality and efficacy.

Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research is being done to determine whether BST can survive in the flesh of slaughtered cows which have been treated with BST.

Mr. Donald Thompson

Applicants for product licences for BST are, in accordance with the Medicines Act, obtaining or generating all data necessary for a thorough assessment, including data on possible residues.

Mr. Win Griffiths

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has about the imposition in the Netherlands of a 28-day withdrawal period on BST treated cows before they are slaughtered; and to what extent a similar practice is followed in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Donald Thompson

None. In the United Kingdom the withdrawal periods which may be applicable for a product such as BST are determined following a thorough assessment of the licence application and its supporting data.