§ 4.0 p.m.
THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD (EARL ST. ALDWYN)My Lords, with the permission of the House, I should like to make a statement about the Report of the Committee, under the chairmanship of my noble friend Lord Balfour of Burleigh, on the export of cattle to the Continent for slaughter, which has been very carefully considered by my right honourable friends, the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food. The Committee concluded that, save to a very limited extent, the alternative of a carcase trade is not practicable and that the journey to the Continent is not a sufficient reason for prohibiting the trade in live animals. They said, however, that they had been concerned by evidence that cattle are sometimes sent on long train journeys after arrival on the Continent. Their main recommendation was designed to ensure that internal transit after disembarkation would be over relatively short distances, and that satisfactory arrangements would be made for accommodating, handling and slaughtering the animals.
We fear that it would he difficult to adopt the Committee's suggestion that the trade should be allowed only to small countries or territories: but we propose as a matter of urgency to consult the authorities of the countries concerned, with a view to securing mutually acceptable arrangements for mitigating the conditions that in recent months have given rise to public criticism.
The Committee made a number of recommendations designed to increase the protection afforded to cattle before they leave this country. We shall continue the veterinary inspection of all cattle being exported for slaughter on the Continent, which has been in operation since February 26 this year, under the permissive powers conferred by the Exported Cattle Protection Order, 1957. This will ensure that no unfit cattle are allowed to be exported, and we propose to make this inspection a statutory requirement, as recommended by the Committee. We also propose to discuss as soon as possible with the interests concerned the recommendations relating to 450 strengthening the conditions applicable to the rest period before export.
The Committee recommended one or two amendments to the regulations governing the carriage of animals by sea. Some rather technical points are involved, and here again we propose to consult the interests concerned as a matter of urgency. We are drawing to the attention of British Railways the Committee's recommendations which concern them. Finally, the Committee made one or two general recommendations of a long-term nature, including the suggestion that the disbudding of calves and the use of the electric goad, instead of the drover's stick, should be encouraged. We are in sympathy with these recommendations, which we propose to bring to the notice of the interests primarily concerned.
We should like to thank most sincerely the noble Lord, Lord Balfour of Burleigh and his Committee for the expeditious manner in which they carried out the task which was entrusted to them at very short notice.
§ 4.4 p.m.
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, I should like to thank the noble Earl for his statement, and to say how pleased was to hear the tribute which he paid to the admirable work done by Lord Balfour of Burleigh and his Committee in this humanitarian matter. May I ask the noble Earl one question? He is going to talk over the recommendations of the Report with foreign Governments. Assuming that he fails to reach agreement with foreign Governments about mitigating these undesirable conditions, will he reconsider the main recommendation of the Committee's Report—namely, the prohibition of export to countries where long distances have to be covered, and the prohibition of re-export?
LORD REAMy Lords, before the noble Earl replies to that question, may I add my tribute of appreciation to Lord Balfour of Burleigh and his Committee, and also thank the noble Earl for giving us this information which, of course, is extremely satisfactory? There seems, however, to be one point which is not quite covered. This is not a time to go into the matter in detail, but perhaps the noble Earl can answer a question about it. There seems to be a gap between the time when the animals leave the farm and 451 the time they arrive at the dockside; after that time there seems to be no particular provision for looking after them. There is some public disquiet about the transporting of animals, particularly calves, to the port of embarkation and their treatment there, and I wonder whether some safeguard could be devised in this connection. Apart from that, I should like again to thank the Committee for their splendid work and their excellent Report.
EARL ST. ALDWYNMy Lords, as regards the point raised by the noble Earl, Lord Listowel, it is a little difficult to anticipate what the outcome of these discussions will be. We will certainly bear in mind what the noble Earl has said, and we shall have to reconsider the position if we should be unsuccessful in coming to a satisfactory conclusion. With regard to the transport of animals in this country, there is a considerable mass of regulations at the moment covering both the actual transport of the animals and any period of rest which they may have before they are shipped. On that matter, as I say, the recommendations of the Committee which affect the railways are being brought to the attention of British Railways. The noble Lord, Lord Rea, mentioned calves, but they are a different subject: they are not affected by this export at all.
LORD REAI meant road transport, rather than rail transport. I am obliged to the noble Earl for his reply.