To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his present policy in respect of bovine somatotropin in the light of the views of the Veterinary Products Committee.

My policy has not changed. No decision on licensing any bovine somatotropin product will be taken until the procedures laid down in the Medicines Act and EC Law have been completed. The decision will reflect advice received from the independent expert advisory bodies established by the Act.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the United Kingdom's representative on the European Community committee on veterinary medicines and products will be opposing the licensing of bovine somatotropin, following the recommendation on licensing of the Veterinary Products Committee.

The committee on veterinary medicines and products is an advisory and not a licensing body. The United Kingdom representative's aim is to ensure that the committee on veterinary medicines and products's opinion fully reflects the Veterinary Products Committee's views.