HC Deb 23 June 1994 vol 245 cc352-3
13. Dr. Lynne Jones

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans she has to reduce the international trade in live animals for slaughter.

Mr. Soames

Trade in live animals is a commercial matter, subject to the necessary safeguards for animal welfare and health. The question of further safeguards for animals in transport was discussed at the Agriculture Council on 20 June, when the United Kingdom received an undertaking from the Commission to bring forward further proposals on journey limits.

Dr. Jones

Most people in this country will be disappointed by the Minister's reply. Why do not the Government support the proposal made by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which is now apparently also advocated by Germany, to impose an eight-hour journey limit for animals and so put a stop to this evil trade?

Mr. Soames

The hon. Lady should not make the mistake of simplifying the matter beyond what is reasonable in difficult and technical negotiations. The Government have always acknowledged that journey times have a relevant role to play, but they are not the be-all and end-all of animal transport. We are beginning to make significant progress within the Community. The Commission has come up with new plans which we believe will significantly improve the proposals that we first saw on the table at the beginning of the week. I believe that my right hon. Friend the Minister took absolutely the right decision to vote with the Germans and the others, pending the proposals from the Commission which will be received early next year.

Mr. Marland

Is this not is a good opportunity to remind the House that all farmers and others in this country dealing with animals have the greatest respect for their own livestock and that problems with the transport of live animals occur not in this country but elsewhere? Will he remind the House of our very high standards and encourage the RSPCA and others not to peddle their views with the aid of appalling photographs which were obviously taken overseas but to carry out their activities where they can do some good instead of trying to suck up to their members in this country?

Mr. Soames

My hon. Friend is quite right. The standard of animal welfare in this country is probably the highest in the world. It is a matter of pride to the British people that they have such attitudes, and it is their wish and that of their Government that we should improve the lot of travelling animals throughout the European Union. That can happen only if there is a cultural and attitudinal change in the Community. My hon. Friend is right to say that the RSPCA and others have a great deal of work to do in Europe and we remain convinced that their task is in Europe.

Dr. Strang

Returning to the Luxembourg Council meeting this week, is it not true that last weekend Ministers were minded to vote for the Greek presidency's compromise, which would allow animals to travel for no fewer than 22 hours before being rested and fed—[Interruption.] Hon. Members should listen to this. The Government changed their mind only on the Monday morning after the Belgian Government said at the meeting of permanent representatives that they would join Germany, Denmark and Holland and vote against it. The Government changed their mind because there would have been a blocking minority vote of 23. Does that not prove the Government's duplicity and scant regard for the welfare of animals?

Mr. Soames

Even by the hon. Gentleman's standards of rant, that is going a bit far. [Interruption.] The Opposition have made a fine choice in the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Brown). Perhaps I may rehearse the truth of what actually happened. My right hon. Friend the Minister asked me to see the animal welfare bodies ahead of the Council as a courtesy, to outline to them the state of the negotiation on the paper submitted by the Greek presidency. Accordingly, at the negotiation, my right hon. Friend listened with great care to the way the negotiation was going and, seeing an opportunity to better what was on the table, and accepting the Commission's offer to develop the idea and work on journey limits, my right hon. Friend went along with what was proposed. To my mind, she took an important step forward for animal welfare. The hon. Gentleman must do better than that if he hopes to convince anyone.