§ 1. Mr. St. John-Stevasasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when Her Majesty's Government intends to introduce legislation to implement the recommendations of the Brambell Committee on the welfare of animals, Command Paper No. 2836.
§ 42. Mr. Corfieldasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to secure the agreement of countries from which animal products are imported to control production on the lines suggested for this country in the Brambell Report.
§ The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Mr. Fred Peart)It is too soon to say what action may be necessary on any part of the Report.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasDoes the Minister realise that there is profound anxiety amongst animal lovers all over the country about certain forms of factory farming? Will he instruct his civil servants to prepare legislation immediately so that when his Conservative successor takes over next month it can be implemented immediately?
§ Mr. PeartI am aware that there is concern among animal lovers, but there is also concern in the farming world where, if anything was done hastily and drastically, there would be serious difficulties from the point of view of the home food producer. It is for this reason that I believe the Report should be carefully considered before precipitate action is taken.
§ Mr. RankinWill my right hon. Friend give careful thought to bringing in legislation on this subject of the welfare of animals, which the Tories failed to bring in when they were in power and had the chance to do so?
§ Mr. PeartMy hon. Friend will, I am sure, appreciate that there is a Report on this, and that a careful investigation was made. I gave a deadline of 31st January for the views of people who were involved to be made known. I am looking at these carefully.
§ Mr. GodberWill the right hon. Gentleman acknowledge the implications of what my hon. Friend has said? The reference to Her Majesty's Government is purely a generic term, and does not refer to Her Majesty's present Government. Nevertheless, will the right hon. Gentleman inform his hon. Friend that the Brambell Committee was set up by a Conservative Government, and that it was only because it did not report until after we had left office that these matters were not dealt with? Further—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The Question is getting a bit too long.
§ Mr. GodberI am sorry, Mr. Speaker. May I come to the substance of my question, which is to ask the Minister to say in relation to the farmers—and I was glad to hear what he said about them—that he will introduce nothing which will harm the British farmer compared with imported food produced in the same way?
§ Mr. PeartIt is precisely for this reason—the rôle of imports—that I feel the Report should be carefully examined with a view to taking action where necessary.
§ Sir W. Anstruther-GrayWill the Minister bear in mind that a large proportion of farmers are themselves animal lovers, and let the public not get the mistaken idea that farmers do not love their stock?