§ MR. CREMER (Shorediteh, Haggerston)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Board of Trade if he has any information or statistics in regard to the number of slaughtered horses, or hordes unfit for work, that are periodically exported to the Continent; to what country or ports they are consigned; if he can state what becomes of the exported animals; whether he has any information to the effect that the flesh of these animals is made into condiments of various kinds returned to this country and sold as articles of food.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE (Mr. GERALD BALFOUB,) Leeds, CentralI have no information as to the export of slaughtered horses. The horses exported alive during the first five months of this year at a value of under £5 each have numbered 1,665 and all of 697 them have been shipped to Holland, Belgium, or Germany. I have no official information as to what becomes of these animals after they are landed on foreign soil.
§ MR. CREMERWill the right hon. Gentleman, in view of the statements repeatedly made that the carcases of dead horses and of unfit live horses that are exported from this country come back in the shape of food, cause inquiries to be made into the subject?
§ MR. WHITLEY (Halifax)Has the right hon. Gentleman any information to the effect that the carcases of these horses go to feed the people in protectionist countries?
§ MR. GERALD BALFOURI am sorry I have no further information, but if the hon. Member will provide me with the information that he has in his possession I shall be glad to look into the matter.