§ Mr. Championasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will send a circular to local authorities advising that it should be made a condition of licence for livestock marketing authorities to take steps to prevent more people being inside the auction ring than is absolutely necessary to show the animal in order to avoid the suffering caused by 77W the beating so often inflicted to get the animal to enter a crowded ring and the poking and beating with sticks once it has got there.
Mr. AmoryThe auctioneer is responsible for the manner in which the market is held and if he is not satisfied with the conditions in the ring at the time of sale it is within his competence to stop the sale until these improve. I am satisfied that generally speaking the auctioneers do not permit the conditions described in the Question and, therefore, I do not feel that any general directive is necessary at this time. If the hon. Member knows of any particular market where cruelty and over-crowding occur, I will have the matter examined immediately.