asked the Minister for Agriculture if a less expensive method can be used to denature skim milk powder in order to make it more economic for use in compound animal foods.

The denaturing formulae prescribed in the EEC Regulations were devised by the EEC Commission having first received expert professional advice and after lengthy consideration. If the Deputy knows of any cheaper method which will nevertheless ensure that the power is used only in the manner intended my Department would be glad to have particulars with a view to examining them and perhaps having them accepted by the Commission.

Is it not true that other nations of the EEC are not constrained to use fishmeal in an admixture with the milk powder and there-fore they can in fact produce a cheap milk powder to mix into compounds while we are in the position where expensive fishmeal must be added and we are therefore at a disadvantage because this just is not an economic usage? Can the Parliamentary Secretary now say this will be discontinued and the Minister will take up with the EEC the question of having an admixture which it is more economical to use?

I am sure if there is a formula which can be more economically used we would certainly like to hear about it.

Certainly there is. Discoloration is a formula that can be used in the same way as it is used in wheat and the compound cannot then be used for human consumption. This is much less expensive than fishmeal.