§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of the total tonnage of veterinary antibiotics used in the UK, in the most recent year for which figures are available, were used for(a) farm animals and (b) domestic and other animals. [187478]
§ Mr. BradshawThe VMD collects and publishes figures annually on the UK sales of veterinary antimicrobials, including those sold for use in both food producing and non-food producing animals. It is reasonable to assume that there is a close correlation between these figures and the quantities of antimicrobials used in the UK. These figures are collected on a voluntary basis and the reports are available on the VMD web site at www.vmd.gov.uk under the publications and general tabs or from Dr. Kay Goodyear (telephone 01932 338409).
The most recent available figures show that of the 457 tonnes of active ingredient of veterinary therapeutic antimicrobials sold for use in 2002, 403 tonnes were products indicated for use in food-producing animals only, 24 tonnes were indicated for use in non food-producing animals only and 30 tonnes were indicated for use in both food-producing and non food-producing animals.