Mink (Hansard, 3 December 1992)

§ Mr. Tony Banks
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes in procedure have been adopted by his Department on mink farming since August 1989.

§ Mr. Soames
No changes to departmental procedures have been implemented in this time.

§ Mr. Tony Banks
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reasons his officials did not inspect two adjoining mink sheds when inspecting Swalesmoor Mink Farm to ensure compliance with the Mink (Keeping) Order 1987 in 1987, 1988 and in April and September 1989.

§ Mr. Soames
An additional inspection covering the buildings in question was carried out in September 1989, when officials were made aware that mink were being kept in them. The visit confirmed that the security arrangements in operation complied with the Mink (Keeping) Regulations 1975, as amended, which lay down the manner in which mink can be kept under licence. The mink farm owner was therefore acting within the terms of the licence issued to him, to keep mink in any building on the farm.

§ Mr. Tony Banks
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what monitoring his Department conducts of breaches of the Mink (Keeping) Order 1987.

§ Mr. Soames
All mink farms are inspected annually by officials of ADAS, the Ministry's wildlife experts, to ensure that they meet the security requirements laid down for the keeping of mink. Any reported breaches of these security requirements would also be investigated by ADAS.

§ Mr. Tony Banks
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications for licences to operate a mink farm have been rejected since the coming into operation of the Mink (Keeping) Order 1987.

§ Mr. Soames
No applications for licences to keep mink in a mink farm have been rejected since the coming into operation of the Mink (Keeping) Order 1987.

§ Mr. Tony Banks
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many reports of mink escapes from fur farms have been officially notified since 1980;
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(2) how many reports of mink escapes from fur farms have been officially notified since 1987.

§ Mr. Soames
Based on available information, the Ministry has received only one report of escapes of mink from a fur-farming establishment since 1980.

§ Mr. Tony Banks
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what provisions are made by his Department to protect the welfare of mink during transportation.

§ Mr. Soames
Welfare of mink during transport is protected by provisions of the Transit of Animals (General) Order 1973, as amended. The legislation imposes a duty of care on all those who transport animals. It requires transport in suitable conditions and animals must be fed and watered at appropriate intervals.

§ Mr. Tony Banks
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what conditions apply to the transportation of mink between licensed premises under the Mink (Keeping) Order 1987.

§ Mr. Soames
The Mink (Keeping) Regulations 1975, as amended, as currently applied by the Mink (Keeping) Order 1987, require that no mink shall be transported from place to place except in closed cages or other containers constructed in such a manner and of such materials as to prevent their escape.