§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that British farmers and veterinary surgeons continue to have access to the full range of medicinal products which are available in the United Kingdom and in other member countries of the European Community.
§ Mr. SoamesCommunity law currently requires that no medicinal product may be marketed in a member state, unless there is a market authorisation issued in that member state. In the United Kingdom that means a United Kingdom product licence. Subject to that requirement, the licensing authority will continue to take advantage of any developments in the EC arrangements for the control of veterinary medicines, intended to make it easier for applicants to obtain licences to market products not previously available in the United Kingdom.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those veterinary medicinal products of which he is aware for which a licence has been given by the French authorities, but for which a licence has been either declined, or not sought in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. SoamesI understand that the National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) has identified approximately 70 veterinary medicinal products available in other member states but not licensed in the United Kingdom. For reasons of commercial sensitivity, however, NOAH has felt unable to identify the individual products concerned so that the circumstances can be explored. I regret therefore that such a list cannot be compiled, although I remain willing to look into any specific examples of products licensed in one member state but not in the United Kingdom.
§ Mrs. Ann WintertonTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the progress which has been made since 1981 in implementing the European requirement for all veterinary medicinal products to be licensed.
§ Mr. SoamesIt has been a requirement of United Kingdom law since 1972 that all veterinary medicinal products must be licensed before they can be marketed.