Animal Feed: Pesticides

Mr. Peter Ainsworth
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which public authority has lead responsibility for the monitoring of pesticide residues in animal feed and animal feed ingredients; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Shaw
[holding 25 January answer 2008]: The Food Standards Agency has lead responsibility for the Feeding Stuffs (England) Regulations 2005, which set maximum permitted levels for chemical contaminants including certain pesticides in animal feed. Separate but parallel feeding stuff regulations are in place for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Great Britain, local authorities are responsible for the enforcement of this legislation and monitoring of feed to ensure compliance with the requirements of the regulations. In Northern Ireland enforcement and monitoring is the responsibility of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The Pesticides Safety Directorate has lead responsibility for The Pesticides (Maximum Residue Levels in Crops, Food and Feeding Stuffs) (England and Wales) Regulations 2005 which set maximum levels for pesticide residues in plants and animal products whether they may be used for human food or animal feed. Separate but parallel regulations are in place for Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Pesticides Safety Directorate is responsible for the UK's national pesticide monitoring plan, with the advice of the independent Pesticide Residues Committee.