§ Sir Richard BodyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research has been carried out under the auspices of his Department to ascertain whether it is safe to feed pigs and poultry with ruminant-based protein.
§ Mr. SoamesThere is no evidence of a naturally occurring spongiform encephalopathy in these species. The Tyrrell committee has advised that there are no grounds for extending the ban on the use of ruminant protein to non-ruminants, provided that the specified bovine offals are excluded. Nevertheless, studies are in hand involving the feeding of brain material from confirmed cases of BSE to pigs and poultry, and epidemiological surveillance of pigs and poultry is maintained.