§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hayman on 11 January (WA 277,) what evidence was before the Veterinary Products Committee in 1992 to prompt the further requests for data from the manufacturers of organophosphorus sheep dips; and whether it is now the practice of Her Majesty's Government to speculate upon the manufacturers' reasons for the withdrawal of products or formulations from the market. [HL968]
26WA
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Hayman)Licences for the organophosphorus sheep dips were reviewed in 1992–93. Applications supported by data were required for each product. Data considered included those submitted in support of the original licence applications and any new data considered by applicants to be appropriate. Where data were considered by the Veterinary Products Committee to be insufficient, further data were requested. In addition, the then current scientific data on the toxicity of the active ingredients were summarised and presented to the Veterinary Products Committee.
It is not practice to speculate on manufacturers' motivation and the previous Answer made clear that the reason for the withdrawals was a matter for the companies involved. The additional information given was intended to be helpful and as full as possible within the constraints of the confidentiality requirements of the medicines legislation.