Captain FABERasked the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, if he would state what steps, if any, foreign Governments had taken relative to the prevention of cruelty in the export of old horses from this country to foreign shores?
§ The TREASURER of the HOUSEHOLD (Sir Edward Strachey)The export trade in old horses abroad from this country is practically confined to Holland and Belgium. The Regulations in force in the former country require generally that horses landed there for slaughter are to be moved under veterinary and police supervision to slaughter-houses at the port, or, in specially authorised cases, elsewhere, and there slaughtered within eight days of arrival. The Regulations in Belgium require the veterinary examination of all horses and the marking of those intended for food, which must be slaughtered at authorised slaughter-houses within eight days of arrival.
Sir GILBERT PARKERHave the Government taken into consideration the advisability of imposing a heavy export tax on such exportations?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member must give notice of that question.