HC Deb 22 October 1986 vol 102 c1191 4.46 pm
Mr. Robin Corbett (Birmingham, Erdington)

I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 10, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter which should have urgent consideration, namely, the illegal interference with live sheep exports from the United Kingdom to France. The BBC reported this morning that another consignment of sheep for immediate slaughter had been hijacked by French farmers, the sheep released and chased into a field. Some were sprayed with the highly dangerous insecticide, lyndane, which means that they cannot be safely marketed for at least two months. Others were said to have been injected with a substance to achieve the same results. Last week sheep and lambs outside Tours were similarly hijacked and the animals released.

Such exports are licensed by the Minister of Agriculture and the licence must state their final destination. That supposed system of protection, in which those of us who oppose live exports never believed, is in tatters. The Minister of Agriculture should immediately suspend all further licences until the proper welfare of live sheep exports can be guaranteed.

Such incidents, which threaten the welfare of live sheep, follow reports of a trail on a consignment of sheep from the United Kingdom which were licensed for export in France and which turned up in Spain 27 hours later having had no water or feed. Some sheep were dead. The Minister of Agriculture should ensure that a condition of the licence is that if the sheep or other live animals do not arrive at the destination stated on the licence the person holding the licence should face prosecution.

This vile trade in live sheep is bad enough when controls are attempted. It is unacceptable when shipments are hijacked and the welfare of the animals is put at risk to keep them off the French market. That is why I believe the matter to he urgent enough for our consideration.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Mr. Corbett) asks leave to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that he thinks should have urgent consideration, namely, the illegal interference with live sheep exports from the United Kingdom to France. As the hon. Gentleman knows, my sole duty in deciding this matter is whether it should take precedence over the Orders set down for today or for tomorrow. I have to say that I do not consider the matter to be appropriate for discussion under Standing Order No. 10 and I cannot, therefore, submit his application to the House. However, I hope that he will find other opportunities of discussing it.