§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what tests are required by his Department to be applied in slaughterhouses in Wales to verify the absence of antibiotics in pig carcases; what discussion he has held with the European Commission on this issue; and if he will make a statement. [5360]
§ Mr. HagueUnder the national surveillance scheme for residues in meat, which implements EC directive 86/469, samples from pigs are collected each year from randomly selected slaughterhouses by the Meat Hygiene Service, and tested for the presence of residues of veterinary medicines including antibiotics. The results show that the incidence of residues found in 1995 was very low. Only 83 samples out of some 16,000 tested from pigs were above the action level. Because of the considerable margins of safety involved, none of these samples was likely to have posed a health risk to consumers.
Discussions on measures intended to harmonise, improve and extend existing controls on surveillance for residues have already been held. Member states have agreed EC directive 96/23, which repeals EC directive 86/489, which among other changes will require a small number of samples from pigs to be taken on farms as well as at slaughterhouses. It is to enter into force in all member states by 1 July 1997.