§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those firms which used infected sheepmeat in cattle feed-based food; and if he will make a statement. [23435]
§ Mrs. Browning[holding answer 1 April 1996]: At the time when infected sheep material is thought to have been present in cattle feed, meat and bone meal, produced by rendering sheep material, was a quite legitimate ingredient in cattle feed. At that time, no one could reasonably have been expected to foresee that the incorporation of ovine MBM presented a risk.
It is not possible to determine which companies may inadvertently have used infected sheep material in cattle feed.