HL Deb 12 January 1998 vol 584 cc175-6WA
Lord Williams of Elvel asked Her

Majesty's Government:

Whether they have received advice from the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee on the practice of feeding animal products to animals of the same species.

Lord Donoughue

At my right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's request, at its meeting on 2 December the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee considered the practice of feeding animal by-products to animals of the same species. The committee's advice is being published in full, and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

The committee did not consider that there was an immediate risk from intraspecies feeding. However, they thought it possible that TSEs might arise spontaneously in any species with a prion protein gene, and that if this were the case the practice of recycling waste as feed within a species could spread any resultant disease. The committee describes the risk here as small, but considered that it could not be discounted completely.

The committee has recommended that the Government develop a strategy to remove this risk, taking account of practical enforcement considerations and alternative disposal options, and discusses it with EC partners. Although the risk is small, my right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food intends to accept this recommendation on a precautionary basis.

Essentially this means that the current practices of processing certain types of waste containing porcine material and feeding it as swill to pigs, and using poultry and feather meal as high protein ration for poultry, will have to end. Before legislating, however, my right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food shall, as advised, consider the alternative routes for disposing of such waste. We are currently conducting a review of national animal waste legislation and intend to issue proposed legislation for consultation early in the New Year. That will set out our proposals in respect of pig swill subject to any further discussions in the European Community. My right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food shall use that opportunity to ask for comments on the other issue raised by SEAC's advice. Subject to those comments, he also envisages bringing forward legislation to ban the recycling of poultry meals as poultry feed, but wants to sound out Community partners first.

This action to avoid any possibility that a risk which the committee described as "small" and "potential" means that consumers will continue to enjoy the highest possible protection against the risks from TSEs, and gives the assurance that pig and poultry products remain TSE-free.