Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Antimicrobial Resistance: Farm Animals

18 January 2023 · 4 other contributors · 6,103 words

Opened by Virendra Sharma Lab Ealing, Southall

Responding minister: Mark Spencer

Agriculture & Rural AffairsNHSEnvironment

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Virendra Sharma raised concerns about antimicrobial resistance: farm animals in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Virendra Sharma is concerned about the overuse of antibiotics on healthy farm animals contributing to antimicrobial resistance.
  • Sharma highlighted a study showing AMR bacteria found in rivers near factory farms but not higher-welfare outdoor farms.
  • Sharma asks the Government to introduce a ban on routine antibiotic use in healthy farm animals and to implement new veterinary medicines regulation.

Key requests to Government

Sharma asks when the Government intends to introduce a ban on routine antibiotic use in healthy farm animals and requests a commitment from the Minister to address AMR effectively, echoing EU regulations. He also urges the government to implement new veterinary medicines regulation as promised.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Virendra Sharma Lab Ealing, Southall

Virendra Sharma is concerned about the overuse of antibiotics on healthy farm animals, which contributes to antimicrobial resistance. He highlighted that around 75% of antibiotics used on UK farms are for group treatments and not individual sick animals. This practice, he argued, is a result of poor hygiene and inadequate animal husbandry in factory farms, leading to unsanitary conditions and disease proliferation. Sharma cited a study showing AMR bacteria found in rivers near factory farms but not higher-welfare outdoor farms. He also mentioned that livestock farms polluted rivers 300 times last year, further stressing the urgency.

Other contributors (4)
  • Daniel Zeichner Lab Cambridge

    He expressed concern about the overuse of antibiotics in farm animals, citing a decrease in annual sales of veterinary antibiotics by 55% since 2014 but noting that 75% of antibiotics used are for group treatments. He questioned the Government's plans to implement legislation similar to EU standards and asked about support for vaccine development.

  • Kerry McCarthy Lab Bristol East

    She pressed the Minister on whether there is a problem with routine overuse of antibiotics in farming and if current levels need to decrease significantly, especially due to industrialised factory farming. She also questioned the practice of issuing prescriptions to prevent disease outbreaks.

  • Margaret Ferrier SNP Rutherglen and Hamilton West

    The use of antibiotics in factory-farmed animals as a method of disease prevention to compensate for poor living conditions is contributing to widespread antimicrobial resistance. The EU has introduced legislation to address this issue. Antibiotic-resistant germs can end up in the food that humans eat, leading to illnesses such as food poisoning. She agrees that regulations following the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill must be airtight to prevent a reduction in standards.

  • Steven Bonnar SNP Glasgow North East

    He highlights the urgent need for coordinated cross-sectoral response to address antibiotic resistance. He mentions that biosecurity measures are routinely adopted and responsible use of antibiotics is necessary. However, he expresses concern over trade deals with countries having lower standards on antibiotic usage.

Government Response

Mark Spencer

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Bone. I pay tribute to the hon. Member for Ealing, Southall (Mr Sharma) and congratulate him on calling the debate. The Government recognise antimicrobial resistance or AMR as a policy issue of huge importance and public interest. In 2019, we put in place long-term plans to address AMR and published our UK 20-year vision to contain and control AMR by 2040, supported by a current five-year national action plan running from 2019 to 2024. The plan is progressing well with a focus on reducing the use of antibiotics in the UK farming sector and monitoring antibiotic-resistant trends in bacteria since 2015. There has been a 55% decrease in veterinary antibiotic use since 2014, making the UK one of the lowest users across Europe. We are also seeking to strengthen national law by publishing a consultation on proposed changes to the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013 that would stop the use of antibiotics to prevent disease in animals except for high-risk cases. The proposals bear similarities to EU legislation but take into consideration our lower levels of antibiotic use compared to other European countries, such as France and Germany. AMR is a global problem, and the UK plays a significant role on the international stage by updating guidance to Codex standards on AMR and ensuring food safety across the world. Our sectoral approach successfully harnessed industry targets to address challenges in the food system while respecting animal welfare.

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