§ 5 and 6. Mr. Haleasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether he has considered the further evidence, submitted to him by the hon. Member for Oldham, West, of unnecessary cruelty used in the fattening of broiler chickens for table purposes; and what action he proposes to take;
(2) whether he has now considered all recent evidence, submitted to him by the hon. Member for Oldham, West, of unnecessary cruelty in the fattening and slaughter of young calves for table purposes; and what action he proposes to take;
§ Mr. SoamesThe papers which the hon. Gentleman has sent me contained no facts of which I was not previously aware, and I do not consider that they call for any action on my part. It is, of course, for the courts to decide under the Protection of Animals Act, 1911, whether unnecessary suffering has been caused to any animals.
§ Mr. HaleWhose business is it in this House to protect animals from cruelty? Does the right hon. Gentleman regard 980 himself as only here to protect the farmers? Is he aware that I myself have seen the intensive rearing of chickens in admirable conditions, probably better than those outside? Is he also aware that the papers I sent to him have been supported by journalistic comments from reputable sources, which call attention to the increasing practice and the widespread cruelty? Whose business does he say it is to enforce the Protection of Animals Act, 1911? Does he not regard the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food as the person responsible for seeing that Statutes relating to animals are carried into force?
§ Mr. SoamesAs the hon. Gentleman has said, he himself has seen animals kept in perfectly good conditions under these circumstances, and I do not believe that, in the generality of cases, that is anything but the truth. There is no reason why they should be kept in conditions which are in any way cruel, but it is not for me to enforce the Act. It is for the courts to enforce it. If anybody wishes to take action in the matter, it is open to them to do so.
§ Sir J. DuncanIs there not evidence, both from my right hon. Friend and from the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Hale), that one cannot be unhappy and fat, and might not this also apply to calves and poultry?
§ Mr. HaleThe right hon. Gentleman was not looking happy a moment ago. Will he not ask his inspectors to find out whether these allegations are correct, and are not the public entitled to be informed whether such practices are prevalent, whether they are widespread and whether the law is being enforced?
§ Mr. SoamesMy Department is perfectly content that the systems used for the rearing of these birds and calves, to which the hon. Gentleman has referred, need not necessarily create cruelty to the calves concerned.