§ Mr. Robert B. Jonesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are his Department's principal achievements in the field of animal welfare since May 1979.
§ Mrs. FennerWe have set up the Farm Animal Welfare Council, which has carried out wide-ranging studies and made recommendations to improve the welfare of animals on the farm, at markets and at slaughter. Its current studies include the transport of animals. We have sponsored the Animal Health and Welfare Act 1984 and made regulations to protect the welfare of poultry at the point of slaughter, have made regulations to stop unnecessary mutilations on the farm, and have introduced new welfare codes for cattle and pigs. We have also commissioned research into various aspects of poultry slaughter. Within the European Community we have secured the adoption of a directive to tighten enforcement of the rules governing welfare in transit and made implementing legislation and we have supported the setting of minimum welfare standards for battery hens. We have also played an active part in the formulation of welfare measures on hens and pigs within the Council of Europe. Work is well advanced on further codes and regulations on welfare at the point of slaughter.
§ Mr. Robert B. Jonesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are his policy objectives in the field of animal welfare.
§ Mrs. FennerOur objective is to ensure that farm animals are kept, transported, marketed, exported and slaughtered under satisfactory welfare conditions.
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 European Community* exports of rice to third countries (thousand of tonnes—milled equivalent†) 377,433 380,189 319,471 358,320 339,580 470,602 European Community expenditure on export restitutions for rice (million ecus) ‡ 44.4 17.2 30.0 67.9 26.9 ║35.8 * 1980—EC-9; 1981–85—EC-10. † Source: Eurostat. Source:‡ FEOGA financial report. ║ Provisional.