§ Mr. MacNEILLasked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been directed to the cruelties incident to the traffic in decrepit horses and worn-out pit ponies, in many cases from Hull and Newcastle-on-Tyne, from England to the Continent, more especially to the port of Antwerp, and the sufferings of the animals, who in many cases are embarked in an advanced stage of disease and are exposed to the danger of broken limbs and other injuries on the voyage, and are, when disembarked, taken to the slaughter-houses under accompaniments of torture; and whether any steps will be taken to stop this traffic or to abridge the sufferings of the animals by the slaughter of decrepit and diseased horses at English ports before embarkation?
§ Sir E. STRACHEYMy right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. Representations have been made to us for many years past as to this trade, and in 1898 we issued the Exportation of Horses Order, under Article 1 of which it is illegal to convey in a vessel from any port in Great Britain any horse which, owing to age, infirmity, illness, injury, fatigue, or any other reason, cannot be so conveyed without cruelty during the intended passage or on landing. The execution of the Order rests with local autho- 593W rities, but a direct supervision is also kept over it by inspectors of the Board, who make voyages in vessels carrying horses. The Board have the matter constantly in view. Material improvement has been effected in the manner in which the trade in horses for slaughter abroad is carried on, and no effort will be spared to secure further improvement wherever practicable. The Board have no power to stop the traffic or to require the slaughter of particular animals before embarkation. If the hon. Member will give me information at any time of cases where horses are embarked "in an advanced stage of disease" I shall be only too glad to have most full inquiry made into the matter.