§ MR. CREMER (Shoreditch, Haggerston)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is now in a position to state the result of the inquiries which, in August last year, and in this year, he promised should be made concerning the number of old and slaughtered horses, or horses unfit for work, that are periodically exported from this country to Belgium, "Holland, and Germany; and if he can say for what purpose their carcases are used; and whether their flesh is made into condiments of various kinds, returned to this country, and sold as articles of food.
§ THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Earl PERCY, Kensington, S.)In the Netherlands horses imported for slaughter purposes must be slaughtered in public slaughterhouses at Amsterdam, Rotterdam, de Leyde, or Neineguen. It is guaranteed that only sound meat is offered for public consumption. Belgium—Large numbers of horses, chiefly those which have been used in coal mines, are imported from Grimsby, Goole, Hull and other ports on the East Coast of England to Antwerp. When intended for human 1129 consumption they must be slaughtered at the public slaughterhouse and sold by butchers who only deal in horse flesh. Horse flesh does not appear to be made into meat extract in Belgium, but sausages for local consumption are manufactured. No horse flesh, except a few living animals, is exported to the United Kingdom. Germany—No export of horse flesh to the United Kingdom takes place from Hamburg, nor, it is believed, from other German ports, such flesh having no sale there and being easily recognised, more especially as all horse flesh is indelibly stamped on inspection with the word "Pferd." The larger part of the horses imported from the United Kingdom appeared to have been, not for slaughter, but for riding and driving. About 130,000 horses a year are slaughtered in Germany, and as regards Hamburg, a certain number are consumed by human beings, some being used at the Zoological Garden and private menageries. The price varies from 2d. to 6d. per, lb. sausages from 4d. to 6d. per lb. The following are the statistics respecting the export of horses of small value in 1904—
| Value under £5. | |
| Belgium | 2,475. |
| Holland | 2,333. |
| Germany | 38. |
| France | 12. |
§ As regards France, reports from Dunkirk, "Calais, Havre, and Cherbourg show that no horses unfit for further work are imported from the United Kingdom at any ports in those Consular districts.
§ MR. FLAVIN, (Kerry, N.)What quantity of these sausages find their way to the House of Commons?
[No Answer was returned.]