Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to alter or repeal the ban on farmers feeding human food waste to pigs; and if he will make a statement.

The Government has no plans to alter or repeal the ban on farmers feeding human food waste to pigs. It is already possible to feed pigs certain food waste originating from food producers, manufacturers and retailers, provided they comprise no prohibited animal by-products. However, the ban on feeding catering waste to pigs needs to stay in place as it can present a serious risk to animal health and has been directly responsible for major notifiable disease outbreaks around the world, including the 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak in the UK.