Antibiotics (Hansard, 9 July 1998)

§ Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to the reply by the Government to the Fourth report from the Agriculture Committee on Food Safety (HC 331), what steps he proposes to discourage the use of new antibiotics as a prophylactic in animal husbandry. [49453]
624W

§ Mr. Rooker
No veterinary medicinal product is authorised for use unless it satisfies statutory criteria of safety, quality and efficacy. The Government are advised on this by the independent scientific Veterinary Products Committee (VPC). In considering any new application for the authorisation of an antibiotic veterinary medicinal product, the VPC has consistently discouraged prophylactic use.

§ Mr. Etherington
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to encourage a reduction in the use in livestock farming of antibiotics(a) for routine prophylactic purposes and (b) as growth promoters; and if he will make a statement. [49454]

§ Mr. Rooker
No veterinary medicinal product is authorised for use unless it satisfies statutory criteria of safety, quality and efficacy. The Government are advised on this by the independent scientific Veterinary Products Committee (VPC). In considering any new application for the authorisation of an antibiotic veterinary medicinal product, the VPC has consistently discouraged prophylactic use.
The use of additives in animal feedingstuffs, including growth promoters, is subject to controls under Directive 70/524/EEC. The recent reports from the Agriculture Committee and the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology have been referred to the Veterinary Products Committee. The Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food is also expected to report later this year. We will act on this independent scientific advice.

§ Mr. Gordon Prentice
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the species of(a) farm animals and (b) birds that routinely receive antibiotic growth promoters in their feed. [49076]

§ Mr. Rooker
Additives to animal feedingstuffs are authorised for use in the European Union in accordance with the provisions of Council Directive 70/524/EEC as amended. The Annexes to that Directive list eight authorised antibiotic growth promoters, which may variously be added to the feed of food-producing animals under the conditions laid down in the Annexes. I will write to my hon. Friend with a set of the Annexes, and I will make them available in the Library of the House shortly.