HC Deb 11 March 1997 vol 292 cc203-5W
Mr. Martyn Jones

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department will undertake urgently research into cross-resistance between enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin; and if he will make a statement. [19287]

Mrs. Browning

Information on work at the Central Veterinary Laboratory on cross resistance between enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin in salmonella was published inThe Veterinary Record in May 1989 and in The Lancet in July 1990. The independent scientific Veterinary Products Committee keeps the issue of antibiotic resistance under review.

Mr. Jones

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received over the therapeutic use of enrofloxacin to control respiratory disease in poultry; and if he will make a statement. [19285]

Mrs. Browning

I am unaware of any representations received about the therapeutic use of enrofloxacin to control respiratory disease in poultry.

Mr. Jones

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reasons and in what circumstances tylosin is available without the need for a prescription; and if he will make a statement. [19282]

Mrs. Browning

Tylosin is authorised for use throughout the European Union as a zootechnical feed additive under directive 70/524/EEC. It is an aid to improving growth rate and feed conversion efficiency in pigs. In the UK, the sale and supply of products containing tylosin are subject to the provisions of the Medicines (Veterinary Drugs) (Pharmacy and Merchants' List) Order 1992, as amended. Seven products containing tylosin as the active ingredient may be made available through veterinarians or pharmacists or certain agricultural merchants registered with, and inspected by, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. Sales are restricted to persons whom the seller knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, to be persons who keep animals for business purposes.

Mr. Jones

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the use of growth-promoting antibiotics in lactating cows. [19290]

Mrs. Browning

No antibiotic growth promoter is authorised for use in lactating dairy cows. The current authorisation for avoparcin as a milk enhancer will be withdrawn, together with all other feed additive uses of avoparcin, by 1 April 1997.

Mr Jones

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what data his Department collates on changes in the purpose for which antibiotics in agriculture are used, and if he will make a statement; [19216]

(2) what statistics are collated by his Department on the quantities of each antibiotic used in agriculture; and if he will make a statement. [19283]

Mrs. Browning

The Government do not hold such data or statistics.

Mr. Jones

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the use of (i) virginiamycin, (ii) zinc bacitracin, (iii) bambermycin, (iv) spiramycin and (v) avoparcin in lactating cows; and what representations he has received on their use. [19289]

Mrs. Browning

The Ministry does not commission research into the use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine. No veterinary medicinal product is authorised for use in the UK unless it first satisfies statutory criteria for safety, quality and efficacy. Data submitted in support of applications for authorisation are assessed by the veterinary medicines directorate and all antibiotics for the treatment of food producing animals in the UK are also very carefully considered by the independent scientific Veterinary Products Committee.

With the exception of avoparcin, none of the antibiotics listed is authorised for use in lactating cows. Authorisations for avoparcin are to be withdrawn by 1 April 1997.

I have twice met the technical manager of Roche Products Ltd., which manufactures avoparcin.