§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether their Answer to the use of scrapie-infested carcase waste in ruminant feed (HL Deb., 9th July, col. 105) is to be held to suggest that the "possible recycling of animal pathogens" was a matter not examined by their scientific advisers at the time they were allowing its use, that is, before their recent decision to prohibit it in "ruminant feedstuffs"; and whether its use in non-ruminant feedstuffs has the full approval of their scientific advisers.
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Trumpington)The possibility that pathogens could be recycled in animal feedstuffs has been recognised for many years and for this reason governments have legislated to control the processing of animal protein. Neither the Southwood Working Party nor Dr. Tyrrell's Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee has advised against the use of animal protein in non-ruminant feedstuffs.