Ministers have admitted that material derived from cattle has been used in vaccines in the UK.

Public health minister Hazel Blears apologised to MPs for previously giving assurances that no vaccines had used bovine-sourced materials.

The wrong advice had been given to ministers by the Medicines Control Agency, said Blears. But an investigation by experts had found that the vaccinesdid not pose any demonstrable BSE risk.

Some vaccines may have used highly processed and inactive substances originating from bovine materials, but the risks had been investigated by the Committee on the Safety of Medicines and there was no threat from transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) such as BSE or CJD.

"The CSM, after an exhaustive and rigorous review, found no source for concern in relation to TSEs about the safety of vaccines used in this country," Blears told MPs.

Fears were first raised about the safety of vaccines in October 2000, when an oral polio vaccine was recalled as a "precautionary measure".

The chief medical officer said the decision to withdraw the vaccine had been the correct one, but there was "no detectable infectivity" and the risk of contracting CJD from the vaccine was "incalculably small".

Blears said she now had three reports, from the CSM, the MCA and the chief medical officer.

"It was clear from the reports that some statements had been made in parliament which were either incorrect or misleading.

"Ministers made these statements on the basis of incorrect advice and information given to them at the time by the Medicines Control Agency, which licences medicines for the UK market and monitors the safety of medicines in use," said Blears.

"I repeat my apologies to the House and also convey those of my predecessors for the fact that incorrect or misleading information was thus given to Parliament, albeit in good faith."

The minister told MPs that public health and safety remained a top priority for the government.

"We will continue to ensure that the public health implications of the use of animal materials in the manufacture of all medicines are rigorously evaluated and that any concerns identified are referred to the relevant domestic and European scientific committees for consideration and resolution.

"And if any new public health concerns came to light, we would not hesitate to act in a precautionary manner, as indeed we did in the case of polio in November 2000."