§ Mr. Harry Greenway (Ealing, North)I have the honour to present a petition on behalf of Vivien Mary Fisher, of Straw House farm, Ripon, North Yorkshire. She represents 250,000 people, whose petition was delivered to No. 10 Downing street by the noble Lord Oaksey, myself and Desert Orchid—a very great horse —last Saturday. The petition concerns the vital need to maintain minimum values for the export of horses, or a suitable equivalent protection, after 1992. People of all sections of our community, of all parties, of all sexes, and of all ages, are anxious and determined about the matter. The petition is vital.
The petition is addressed
To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled.Itsheweth that due to European Community law this country may lose existing legislation known as Minimum Values in the Animal Health Act 1981 which gives power to protect equines of low value from live transportation to other countries for ultimate slaughter.We believe that that travel is likely to be seriously inhumane, and the ultimate slaughter also seriously inhumane and upsetting to the animals and to the people of this land.Wherefore your Petitioner prays that your honourable House will urge the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries arid food to seek and use every means available to prevent a recurrence in the trafficking of low valued equines to other countries and moreover to continue to make such effort until a satisfactory conclusion has been arrived at in accordance with the opinion of equine welfare organisations. And your Petitioner, as in duty bound, will ever pray, etc.I beg leave to present the petition.
§ To lie upon the Table.