HL Deb 22 July 1991 vol 531 cc43-4WA
Lord Mason of Barnsley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will conduct an investigation into the use of the pesticide Invermectin within the Scottish Salmon Farming Industry with a view to ensuring that if Invermectin is used to kill sea lice it will not be injurious to the health of consumers of Scottish farmed salmon.

The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Trumpington)

Invermectin is not authorised for use in farmed salmon, and therefore the question of residues should not arise. Nevertheless, as part of its food safety monitoring work, the Ministry will be testing over 400 salmon for veterinary residues over the next year, including for Invermectin. The results will be published in due course.

Some recent allegations of illegal use of Invermectin have been made, and these are currently being investigated. Should firm evidence of illegal activity come to light, we will prosecute.

Lord Mason of Barnsley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Under what regulation and controls is the pesticide Invermectin allowed to be used, especially in the Salmon Farming Industry.

Baroness Trumpington

Invermectin is the active ingredient within a number of veterinary products licensed under the Medicines Act 1968 for the treatment of various farm animals. It is not licensed for use in farmed salmon.

It is an offence under the Water Act 1989 to discharge contaminated water from a fish farm without permission from the appropriate river authority, which has wide powers to impose conditions relating to the composition of such discharges.