§ Sir H. BRITTAINasked the Minister of Agriculture the approximate number of horses shipped from British ports last year to be slaughtered abroad; whether this subject is now being considered; and when a decision is likely to be reached?
Mr. WOODI have no means of ascertaining the exact proportion of horses exported to the Continent which are slaughtered on arrival, but from inquiries made by the Ministry's inspectors the number in 1924 was approximately 8,000 out of a total of 25,645 shipped. As I have already announced, a Departmental 679W Committee is being set up to inquire into this trade, and I hope it is not necessary to anticipate that their deliberations will be unduly prolonged.