§ 32. Dr. Kingasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will institute an inquiry into the intensive methods of food production now being used to provide white veal by the Dutch method of rearing calves and chickens by the broiler and battery systems, with a view to ending unnecessary cruelty.
§ The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. Christopher Soames)No, Sir, I do not think that an inquiry is necessary. It is already an offence under the Protection of Animals Act, 1911, to cause unnecessary suffering to animals including calves and chickens.
§ Dr. KingIs the Minister aware that most people, including most farmers, would agree that the creatures we kill for food have a right to live naturally before we take their lives? Would he not agree that under new intensive methods of food production there is unnaturalness and unnecessary cruelty?
§ Mr. SoamesThe hon. Member referred to living naturally, but the whole process of domestication of animals can be regarded as to some extent an interference with Nature. There is a difference of opinion about the degree of interference, but the experiments which have been carried out on this type of rearing of animals show that it certainly can be done without cruelty. What we should bear in mind is that if this is to be a successful operation the animal must thrive and that if there is a question of cruelty and the animal is suffering it does not thrive—and there is no evidence to show that.
§ Commander MaydonIs my right hon. Friend aware that in my constituency there is an example of this form of rearing of veal calves and I should be very happy to arrange for any hon. Member to visit that establishment to see that this mode of rearing veal can be done without cruelty?