asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is still the practice to extract pituitary glycoproteins from the glands of slaughtered sheep and pigs in the United Kingdom; and, if so, by what means the animals are slaughtered and under what conditions the extracts are recovered. [HL679]

Under the Specified Risk Material Regulations 1997 (as amended), the heads of sheep (including the pituitary) are designated as SRM. They must therefore be removed, stained and disposed of in accordance with the regulations.We are not aware that pituitary glycoprotein is removed from the glands of slaughtered pigs in any licensed slaughterhouse in Great Britain.