§ Mr. A. HERBERTasked the President of the Board of Trade what are the numbers of old horses exported for butchery in Belgium; and whether he will consider the possibility of having them slaughtered before leaving England?
§ Sir R. SANDERS:I have been asked to reply. No horses arc now exported to Belgium except such as are certified by veterinary officers of my Department to be fit to work, as well as fit to travel without suffering. During 1922 only 8,296 horses of all ages and values were shipped to Belgium, and of these no less than 7,087 were of the value of £20 and over, whereas 26,000 carcases of horses were exported to that country in the same year. I have no exact information as to the number which were slaughtered after arrival in Belgium. The high standard of fitness required of horses before export renders it unprofitable to send horses abroad for slaughter, and the traffic in live horses during 1922 showed a marked decline as compared with the previous year, while there was a considerable increase in the number of dressed carcases despatched to Belgium.