§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if she will make a statement on her policy towards imports of meat treated with beta-agonists;
(2) if she will make a statement on her policy in respect of beta-agonists.
§ Mr. SoamesMy policy in respect of beta-agonists remains unchanged from that set out in my reply to the hon. Member on 26 October 1993,Official Report, column 562–63.
Surveillance remains on-going and all the samples of home-produced and imported meat taken in Great Britain during 1993 and to date in 1994, and tested for the presence of beta-agonists, have proved to be negative.
94WSummary results of statutory surveillance are published each year in the Veterinary Medicines Directorate's annual report, and of non-statutory surveillance by the steering group on chemical aspects of food surveillance as periodic food surveillance papers. In addition, the results of both sampling programmes are published quarterly in the Medicines Act veterinary information service newsletter, published by the VMD. Copies are available in the Library of the House.