Live Animals (Imports) (Hansard, 13 April 1994)

§ Mr. Gale
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Glanford and Scunthorpe (Mr. Morley) of 18 March,Official Report, column 900, how many of the live sheep imported from Poland and Spain since 1 January were known to have given birth in transit or immediately on arrival in the United Kingdom;
(2) how many sheep have been held back or destroyed at lairages as being unfit to travel onwards since 1 January 1994 after import from abroad.

§ Mr. Soames
Three sheep were found to have lambed in consignments imported from Spain and Poland and a further six were found to be close to lambing upon veterinary examination. A total of 32 sheep were detained in portal lairages as unfit to continue their journey. These were humanely destroyed.

§ Ms Jowell
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if she will list the total consignments of animals destined for slaughter arriving from Poland or Spain since 1 January listing(a) the original point of departure of each consignment and (b) the points of lairage on route;
(2) if she will give, for each consignment of animals destined for slaughter arriving from Poland or Spain since 1 January (a) the journey time for each stage of the journey, (b) the number of animals that were dead or recumbent on arrival in the United Kingdom, (c) the number that were deemed by Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food veterinary inspectors to have been unfit for transit and (d) the total of carcases that were condemned by meat inspectors.

§ Mr. Soames
The information is given in the table.
181W

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9)

Date of arrival at slaughterhouse Country of origin Point of departure Lairages on route Journey time¹ Number of sheep dead or recumbent Sheep deemed unfit for transit Carcases condemned:

(a) Full (b) Partial

17 March 1994 Poland Not recorded Belgium (several days stopover) 14 hours (from Belgium) 8 none 12 16

28 January 1994 Spain Segovia Irun (Spain) and Southampton 55½ hours (max 30 hours between staging posts 1 none 3 4

15 February 1994 Spain Segovia Bordeaux and Poitiers (France) 57 hours (max 15 hours between staging posts) 2 none 3 4

8 March 1994 Spain Segovia Irun (Spain), Poitiers (France), Southampton 66 hours (max 14 hours between staging posts) 2 none 11 23

23 March 1994 Spain Segovia Irun (Spain), Poitiers (France), Southampton 78½ hours (max 11 hours between staging posts) 4 28 11 20

¹From place of departure, to destination, rest periods included.

(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)
Date of arrival at slaughterhouse	Country of origin	Point of departure	Lairages on route	Journey time¹	Number of sheep dead or recumbent	Sheep deemed unfit for transit	Carcases condemned:
							(a) Full	(b) Partial
17 March 1994	Poland	Not recorded	Belgium (several days stopover)	14 hours (from Belgium)	8	none	12	16
28 January 1994	Spain	Segovia	Irun (Spain) and Southampton	55½ hours (max 30 hours between staging posts	1	none	3	4
15 February 1994	Spain	Segovia	Bordeaux and Poitiers (France)	57 hours (max 15 hours between staging posts)	2	none	3	4
8 March 1994	Spain	Segovia	Irun (Spain), Poitiers (France), Southampton	66 hours (max 14 hours between staging posts)	2	none	11	23
23 March 1994	Spain	Segovia	Irun (Spain), Poitiers (France), Southampton	78½ hours (max 11 hours between staging posts)	4	28	11	20
¹From place of departure, to destination, rest periods included.