§ Baroness Elliot of HarwoodMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans there are to implement the new proposals from the Farm Animal Welfare Council to tighten up the existing animal welfare codes.
§ The Earl of SwintonMy Lords, the Farm Animal Welfare Council is consulting interests about possible recommendations for new regulations based on the welfare codes. The council has not, however, submitted recommendations to Ministers. When it does, the Government will of course consider them carefully and consult. Any new regulations then proposed would be laid before Parliament for debate.
§ Baroness Elliot of HarwoodMy Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply. May I ask him whether the other members of the EC are also concerned, and whether they have in Europe the same kind of regulations as we have for our animal welfare?
§ The Earl of SwintonMy Lords, they are not bound by the same regulations as we have although, obviously, to a greater or lesser extent they have their own. The Government's view is that an important factor which must guide Government thinking is the need to avoid placing producers in this country at a competitive disadvantage in relation to other producers in the EC.
§ Lord Houghton of SowerbyMy Lords, is the noble Earl aware that welfare codes relating to calves kept in intensive rearing conditions have been seriously undermined by the failure to get a conviction in the recent Storrington case, where a religious order have a large veal calf unit and have admitted persistent disregard of the conditions of the welfare code?
§ The Earl of SwintonNo, my Lords; I was not aware of that.
§ Baroness Elliot of HarwoodMy Lords, since these regulations require a considerable amount of capital expenditure by the farmers, will Government grant be available under the capital grants scheme?
§ The Earl of SwintonMy Lords, no. There will be no question of compensation to meet any new legal requirements. However, the Government, by allowing sufficient time to producers to adapt to new standards, would ensure that any further welfare legislation did not impose unreasonable costs on the industry.
§ Lord SomersMy Lords, does the noble Earl not agree that codes as we have them at the moment are of little use since those who observe them are probably those who would have observed them in any case, and those who do not pay little or no attention to them?
§ The Earl of SwintonNo, my Lords. I hope that all the farming community will take notice of these codes and will be guided by them. After all, they are issued to them all.
§ Lord John-MackieMy Lords, does the noble Earl not agree that stockmanship is the key factor and that any number of codes will not replace good stockmanship?
§ The Earl of SwintonMy Lords, I would agree very much with that. I think that stockmanship is all-important.
§ Lord Houghton of SowerbyMy Lords, will the noble Earl take steps to repair his unawareness of the case which I cited?
§ The Earl of SwintonMy Lords, since the noble Lord has mentioned it, I am now, of course, aware of it.