Skip to main content

Sheep: Disease Control

Volume 470: debated on Monday 7 January 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last reviewed scientific advice on the removal of specified risk material from sheep over 12 months old or with permanent incisors erupted; and what plans he has to change his policy on this matter. (175955)

The Food Standards Agency keeps the possible human health risks from Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) in sheep and the specified risk material (SRM) controls under continual review. The Agency has advised that on the basis of the current scientific evidence they have no immediate plans to put forward to the European Commission any proposals to change the policy on the removal of SRM from sheep over 12 months of age. Controls on the removal of SRM are set out in Community regulations which are applicable in all member states. The European Commission published its TSE Road Map on the future of TSE controls in July 2005. This indicated that SRM controls, including in sheep, would be reviewed in the short-medium term (2005-09) in the light of scientific opinion.