Information about expenditure on NHS service support and devolved Departmental research in the NHS are not held centrally. The total level of Department of Health support for motor neurone disease may therefore be higher than the expenditure for centrally commissioned research. It is not possible to predict what the future level of Government expenditure will be on specific areas of research as new research proposals are regularly being considered and commissioned. I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that there is no restriction on the import of meat and meat products from cattle over 30 months, but the ban on sale of beef for human consumption from cattle aged over 30 months at slaughter applies to both home produced and imported supplies. As far as home supplies and meat imported into licensed premises are concerned, the ban is enforced by the Meat Hygiene Service.
Local authorities are responsible for enforcement at other points in the supply chain.
Imported gelatine and other edible by-products are not subject to the over 30 months rule. However, they are subject to controls on the use of specified risk materials in their production. The UK introduced these national SRM controls from 1 January 1998, pending the implementation of Community measures. It is for the Commission to decide, in the light of that advice, whether any proposals for measures to manage those risks at European Union level need to be made. A decision to pursue these proposals has been contested by Hillingdon Community Health Council and it will, therefore, be referred to Ministers for a final decision.