Written question asked by David Lidington (Conservative) on Thursday, 20 June 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 14 October 2002. It was answered by Hazel Blears (Labour) on Monday, 14 October 2002 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the theoretical risk of human beings contracting new variant CJD as a result of eating sheep and goat meat (a) under current regulatory arrangements and (b) if intestine were added to the list of specified risk material.

Answer: Mr Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the theoretical risk of human beings contracting new variant CJD as a result of eating sheep and goat meat (a) under current regulatory arrangements and (b) if intestine were added to the list of specified risk material. [64248] Ms Blears: I am advised by the Foods Standards Agency, that an agency sponsored risk assesment of the theoretical risk of eating sheep meat indicates that, if BSE were present in sheep, current precautionery measures could reduce the risk by very approximately one third. It is also estimated that the addition of intestines to the current list of specified risk material could double the impact of these measures. In June 2002 the Agency recommended to the European Commission that sheep intestine be added to the list of specified risk material as a precautionary measure against the theoretical risk of BSE in sheep. The issue will be considered by the European Scientific Steering Committee who classify sheep and goats together in terms of the potential risk from BSE.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 390 c483W; 64248
Session: 2001-02
Subjects: Contamination Health hazards Meat Meat products Safety BSE CJD Sheep meat Goat meat
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk