§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from farmers on a UK derogation from the EU ban on fishmeal in ruminant animal feed; and if he will make a statement. [144341]
§ Mr. Nick Brown[holding answer 8 January 2001]: Representations have now been received from farmers and others explaining that fishmeal does not bear a risk of transferring TSEs to ruminant or other animals and as such should not have been included in the extended feed ban agreed on 4 December. It was for this reason that the UK resisted this part of the proposal and was able, with other countries, to obtain an exemption from the ban for non-ruminant animal feeds. We will shortly be consulting all interests on the detailed implementation of the new EC feed measures.
§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the importing into Britain of ruminant animal feed products that contain meat and bonemeal. [144327]
§ Mr. Nick Brown[holding answer 8 January 2001]: There is no prohibition on the importing into Great Britain of ruminant meat and bonemeal. However, it is illegal in the UK to sell or supply such products for feeding to farmed livestock. Compliance with this prohibition is monitored by sampling at premises handling livestock feedstuffs.