HC Deb 12 April 1956 vol 551 cc368-71
12. Mr. Chapman

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will appoint two additional officers to his staff, one a veterinary surgeon, to visit jointly all horse slaughterhouses and knackers' yards and to prepare a full report on the implementation of the Slaughter of Animals (Prevention of Cruelty) No. 2 Regulations, 1954.

Mr. Amory

No, Sir. I realise the need for full information on this matter, but I do not consider that additional staff is required. I have already arranged for my officers to give special attention to places where horses are slaughtered, and since 1st January they have visited and reported on almost all horse slaughterhouses and a substantial number of knackers' yards.

Mr. Chapman

I am obliged to the right hon. Gentleman, but the position is still very unsatisfactory. Will he make available to any hon. Member who would like to see it a complete report on all the horse slaughterhouses and knackers' yards?

Mr. Amory

I shall be very glad to supply any hon. Member who is interested with the best information I can give as to the current situation and any future improvements and changes.

13. Mr. Chapman

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many months have now been allowed to owners of slaughterhouses to bring their premises up to the standards of the Slaughter of Animals (Prevention of Cruelty) No. 2 Regulations, 1954; and how many horse slaughterhouses and knackers' yards are known to his Department as still below the standard of these Regulations.

Mr. Amory

Some of the Regulations came into force on 1st December, 1954, and the remainder on 1st July, 1955. When last visited by my officers, 13 horse slaughterhouses and 39 knackers' yards needed minor alterations to bring them up to the required standard, and two horse slaughterhouses and 11 knackers' yards needed substantial alterations. The local authorities or the occupiers of the premises concerned have taken or promised remedial action. I have arranged for the premises to be revisited.

Mr. Chapman

This is most unsatisfactory. Is the Minister not aware of case after case in which there is flagrant violation of the Regulations? Is it not time that the Minister ceased to accept the promises of these people to put their premises right and gave them, say, three months in which to do so?

Mr. Amory

I have no evidence at present that the local authorities have not made their best efforts to carry out their promises and the suggestions which have been made for improvements.

14. Mr. Chapman

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in how many horse slaughterhouses and knackers' yards, known to his Department, it is still the practice to kill horses in the sight of dead carcases, contrary to the 1954 Regulations.

Mr. Amory

A few instances have been reported to my Department in recent months, but in each case suitable action has been taken by the local authority.

Mr. Chapman

It simply is not the case that suitable action has been taken. Is the Minister not aware that at a number of slaughterhouses, a list of which has been supplied to him, the most foul and disgusting conditions still apply, in which horses are led in to slaughter in sight of carcases, bones, skins and entrails, in complete violation of the right hon. Gentleman's own Regulations? Will the Minister not take one or two cases as an example and either prosecute them or allow a short time in which they must put their house in order?

Mr. Amory

I do not think that I have anything further to add to what I have already said, that in the cases which my inspectors have brought to my attention as a result of their visits the local authorities have either carried out improvements or have promised to do so. My inspectors are keeping in touch with those cases to see that the improvements are in fact carried out.

Mr. Hastings

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how many prosecutions have taken place and what the results have been?

Mr. Chapman

None at all.

Mr. Amory

It is the local authorities who are responsible for enforcing the Regulations.

Mr. Hastings

I know.

21. Mr. Dodds

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is aware of the concern at the protracted delay in implementing the recommendations of the Inter-Departmental Committee on Slaughterhouses; and the position with regard to the proposed new model byelaws.

16. Sir F. Medlicott

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is now able to announce his policy in relation to slaughterhouses.

Mr. Amory

Consultations with the interests concerned have now been concluded, and I hope to make a statement of policy within the next few weeks. I expect to publish model byelaws for slaughterhouses next week.

Mr. Dodds

While thanking the Minister for that more definite statement, may I ask him whether this time we may feel that he will keep to a few weeks? He will remember that it was about fourteen months ago that he suggested that he was almost on the point of giving the details. Will he this time keep his word?

Mr. Amory

It was only eight and a half months ago that the Inter-Departmental Committee reported. I shall do my very best the next time the hon. Gentleman puts down his Question to catch the opportunity and announce my policy, but I would ask him to give me just two or three weeks.

22. Mr. Dodds

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what decision has been reached in the case put forward by a deputation from the Erith Borough Council to his Department on 18th November, 1954, of the burden it has to bear because of the lack of slaughterhouses in neighbouring authorities' areas, thereby necessitating the slaughtering of an abnormal number of animals in the borough's two slaughterhouses, involving the Erith Council in expense in providing sanitary inspectors for long hours, including Sunday work, when the bulk of the meat is distributed in other districts, from which no contribution is made to the Erith Borough Council.

Mr. Amory

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Accrington (Mr. H. Hynd) on 29th March.

Mr. Dodds

Does that apply to the problem of Erith Borough Council as well?

Mr. Amory

In that reply I announced the Government's intention of making a contribution where the burden falling upon a local authority was unduly heavy, but I can give no assurance until the applications have been received. It would certainly be up to the council concerned to make an application.