§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimates have been made of the financial cost to the livestock producing industry of reducing the maximum permitted transport time to eight hours.
§ Mr. SoamesI am not aware of any such estimates. British legislation requires livestock in transport to be offered food and water at intervals not exceeding 15 hours. These arrangements have served us well. In EC discussions we shall be seeking to persuade the Community to adopt rules which reflect our own high standards.
§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he is having with the groups involved in the consequences of transportation of live animals.
§ Mr. SoamesWe have regular discussions with a wide range of interested bodies about the transportation of live animals.
§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what steps he is taking to ensure adequate inspection, lairage and rest for animals in transit;
(2) if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's position on the transportation of live animals within the EC, indicating where the United Kingdom Government's position is different from the current EC directive.
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§ Mr. SoamesThe Export of Animals (Protection) Order 1981 provides for inspection and rest, at an approved portal lairage, for food animals exported from Britain. This order also implements the current EC directive on the protection of animals during international transport. These arrangements are due to be superseded by a new directive which needs to be supplemented by additional rules on which Commission proposals are awaited.
§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the number of live animals exported from the United Kingdom to the EC over the last five years for each type of livestock transported.
§ Mr. SoamesThe number of live animals that have been exported from the United Kingdom to other member states of the EC over the last five years can be found in the annual volumes of the "Overseas Trade Statistics for the United Kingdom", copies of which are in the House of Commons Library. Details of their classification within SITC 00 can be found in the "Guide to the Classification for Overseas Trade Statistics", which is also in the House of Commons Library.
§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will estimate how long it would take to make the necessary changes to allow all livestock for slaughter to be slaughtered within the United Kingdom to prevent any animals being exported for slaughter from the United Kingdom to fellow EC countries;
(2) what steps he is taking to increase the proportion of animals slaughtered within the United Kingdom prior to export as opposed to being transported live to other EC countries for slaughter.
§ Mr. SoamesIt would not be possible, under the treaty of Rome, to impose a general prohibition on the export of livestock.
The capacity of the United Kingdom slaughtering industry is a matter for commercial judgment.
§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps his Department takes to ensure that health, hygiene and veterinary standards are being maintained on an equal basis throughout the EC.
§ Mr. SoamesIt is already standard practice for EC animal health and welfare legislation to provide for on-the-spot inspections by Commission veterinary experts to ensure the uniform application of Community rules. The United Kingdom Government welcome the continued development of the Commission inspection role to promote this objective.
§ Mr. KirkwoodTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the number of live animals exported from Scotland to the EC over the last five years for each type of livestock.
§ Mr. SoamesThere are no official statistics dealing with purely Scottish trade of live animals. The overseas trade statistics from Her Majesty's Customs and Excise are available only on a United. Kingdom basis.