To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will nominate a representative to take forward discussions with bio-dynamic agriculture on the subject of the animal by-products order; and how many cases of BSE have been identified on bio-dynamic holdings. [110159]

Defra has a number of officials negotiating the Animal By-Products Regulation, who have been taking account of all comments made in the course of our consultations, including those relating to bio-dynamic agriculture. The statistics requested are not available, as BSE statistics do not identify biodynamic holdings separately.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what exemptions are allowable under the animal by-products order, where agriculture involves a closed cycle of animal rearing. [110160]

The new EU Animal By-Products Regulation permits member states to exercise a number of derogations. None of these provides for derogations simply because there is a closed cycle of animal rearing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with representatives of bio-dynamic agriculture on the implications of the animal by-products order. [110157]

The Department has undertaken extensive consultation on the new regulation. Comments made by the Biodynamic Agricultural Association are being considered, as are all others.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the EU on the introduction of the animal by-products order, with specific reference to obtaining exemptions for bio-dynamic agriculture. [110158]

The practice of using animal by-products in the production of fertiliser was discussed at a working group meeting in Brussels on 17 March. It was noted that the European Commission intends to lay down further rules on fertilisers, and the TSE Regulation (999/2001) already prohibits the use of Specified Risk Material in the production of fertiliser.