§ Lord Vinsonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether sheep under four years of age could be contaminated with BSE by consuming meat and bone meal; and, if not (a) what purpose is served by the introduction of a compulsory identification scheme and its attendant costs; and (b) whether they will raise the age at which specified sheep offal has to be removed from 12 months to 24 months. [HL1242]
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Hayman)Sheep under four years of age will not have consumed meat and bonemeal, as this has been banned from ruminant feed since July 1988, and all animal feed since March 1996. Sheep identification is a requirement of EU law, in particular that sheep are eartagged or tattooed before leaving the holding of birth with a mark which identifies the animal's holding of birth. The Government are currently considering proposals to implement this requirement. The costs of any such move must be balanced against the value of lost 189WA exports of live sheep and sheepmeat if animals are not correctly identified in accordance with EU law.
The Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) regularly reviews SR M controls and has not recommended any relaxation in respect of sheep.