HL Deb 16 October 1980 vol 413 cc1617-20WA
Lord HOUGHTON of SOWERBY

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What improvements in the welfare of farm animals have been made or set in motion since the appointment of the Farm Animals Welfare Council.

Earl FERRERS

As a result of recommendations by the Council to the Agriculture Ministers, legislation has been introduced to ban the harvesting of antlers in velvet from live farmed deer. The council has also made recommendations to Ministers, which are being considered, on added legal safeguards designed to improve the protection of farm animals intended for export and of those being transported by sea and on codes of practice related to these matters. As part of its review of the livestock welfare codes, the Council has issued provisional draft revisions of the codes for pigs, domestic fowls and turkeys. I understand that it is currently considering comments which have been received from interested organisations and from the public on the draft of the pigs code. The council has recently begun to examine the welfare of livestock at the place of slaughter.

House adjourned at thirteen minutes before ten o'clock.