HC Deb 13 November 1989 vol 160 cc69-70W
Dr. David Clark

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the abattoirs which have received cattle from farms suspected of having eaten lead contaminated feed since the end of September; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gummer

No cattle have been permitted to move off farms subject to restrictions except under Ministry consent. No information is available concerning the movement of cattle from farms prior to the imposition of restrictions. The Department of Health has confirmed that on the evidence available no hazard to human health arises from this incident.

Dr. David Clark

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) on what date he was warned by the Dutch Government that lead contaminated feed had been imported into the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement;

(2) when he first suspected that there was a problem with lead contaminated cattle feed; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gummer

The Dutch Embassy warned the legal department of MAFF on the afternoon of Wednesday 1 November that a specified consignment of contaminated feed had been imported into the United Kingdom. My Department has therefore identified the farms concerned and restricted the movement of meat and milk from them.

Dr. David Clark

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that lead contaminated meat and offal from cattle suspected of having eaten lead contaminated feed are not entering the food chain; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gummer

I have used my powers under part I of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 to prohibit the movement and slaughter of cattle from affected farms, or the marketing of meat or milk products which might be derived from them.

Dr. David Clark

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the creameries which have received milk from cows suspected of having eaten lead contaminated feed since the end of September; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gummer

Because of the complexity of the milk movement system a considerable number of creameries, not confined to the south-west, may have received such milk. No unacceptable levels of lead have been found in bulk milk supplies.

Dr. David Clark

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the reasons for the death of cows that ate cattle feed contaminated with lead.

Mr. Gummer

In the case of carcases examined by the veterinary investigation service from farms where feed contaminated with lead has been fed, the clinical history, signs, post-mortem and laboratory findings were consistent with a diagnosis of lead poisoning.

Dr. David Clark

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the results of the testing for the lead content of(a) milk and (b) meat from the farms where cows were fed lead contaminated feed; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gummer

The results of sample analyses are being published as soon as they become available. Up to 12 November 1989, 1,168 sample results have been published.

Dr. David Clark

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to dispose of the dried milk which came from the herds suspected of being fed with lead contaminated feed.

Mr. Gummer

All suspect milk has been isolated, processed and withheld from sale. I will decide on the disposal of these milk products in the light of the results of analysis.

Dr. David Clark

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of farms in each county which are suspected of having received lead contaminated cattle feed; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gummer

A consolidated list of all farms which are currently under restriction appears in the schedule to the Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) (Contamination of Feeding Stuffs) (England) (No. 2) Order 1989, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

Dr. David Clark

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to ensure that farmers no longer give lead-contaminated feed to their cattle; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gummer

My officials have taken steps to trace and inform all recipients of potentially contaminated feed and are supervising the withdrawal of supplies from the farms concerned.

Dr. David Clark

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he has taken to ensure that animal feeding stuffs imported into the United Kingdom are not contaminated; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gummer

The Feedingstuff Regulations 1988 require that animal feeds on sale or being held for sale should not be harmful to the animal or the final consumer. This applies to imported and home-produced feeding-stuffs. The regulations permit certain feed additives and limit the levels of specified contaminants in accordance with EC directives.

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