HC Deb 26 February 1969 vol 778 cc1692-3
7. Mr. Murray

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in view of the large numbers of animals and birds in intensive units under the care of one man, if he will take steps to impose a statutory limit on the number of creatures that are the responsibility of one stockman.

Mr. John Mackie

This suggestion has already been made to the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Committee. It is considering it, and we would not wish to anticipate its advice.

Mr. Murray

When he receives the advice, would my hon. Friend remember that one person can look after tens of thousands of chickens in some of these units and thousands of veal-producing calves? Would he consider this urgently when it comes before him?

Mr. Mackie

Yes, Sir. The Advisory Committee is alive to the fact that intensive farming today requires much more inspection than the old methods, but, nevertheless, no one intending to go in for intensive farming would neglect inspecting his animals. We are today looking for more productivity, which these methods give, and we do not want to discourage them.

Mr. Ellis

But does my hon. Friend accept that these units are now turning out thousands of carcases, whether chicken or veal, and that, compared with the regulations for slaughter houses, it is now high time—this is not a matter of someone wringing half a dozen chickens' necks as they did in the old days, but of thousands of birds—that we tightened up the regulations for these intensive units?

Mr. Mackie

My hon. Friend should have directed that supplementary question to Question No. 6, because it has nothing to do with Question No. 7.