§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to enforce European Commission regulation EC 1798 banning the use of Emtryl in treating game birds; what penalties he plans to apply to offences against the regulation when it comes into force; and what warnings have been issued to(a) landowners, (b) breeders, (c) owners of shooting rights and (d) others involved against using Emtryl. [11625]
§ Mrs. BrowningBanning therapeutic products containing dimetridazole, the active ingredient of Emtryl, would have serious health and welfare consequences for turkeys, game birds and pigs. The UK believes that such products can be used safely and, pending discussions with the European Commission, no action has been taken to withdraw the marketing authorisations for them. The use of DMZ for disease prevention, in accordance with EEC directive 70/524, is not affected by these regulations.
The Animals, Meat and Meat Products (Examination for Residues and Maximum Residue Limits) Regulations 1991, as amended—the residues regulations—make it an offence to administer substances in annexe IV of the Council regulation to an animal, or to sell for human consumption any meat or meat product containing such a substance, provided the relevant amending Commission regulation is contained in schedule 1 to the residues regulations. The penalties for non-observance of these regulations are set out in regulation 21, which provides for a fine.
The application of the Commission regulation has been the subject of several discussions with game birds, poultry, farming and distribution interests.