§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
How they are making it known that 80 per cent. of UK livestock are shipped in the form of meat; and how they propose to publicise and explain the new European Union welfare standards for animals in transit which are due to enter into force by the end of 1996.
Lord LucasThe Meat and Livestock Commission continuously monitors our trade in meat and in live animal exports, and publishes regular estimates of trade levels. Ministers regularly refer to these figures in answers to parliamentary questions and correspondence and in speeches; they indicate that around 80 per cent. of our total meat exports in 1994 were "on the hook".
The Government issued a consultation on 23 October explaining the new EU agreement on the welfare of animals during transport and outlining our ideas for its implementation. The document was circulated widely and a press notice was issued announcing the start of the consultation process. I hope the document will provoke thorough and constructive debate of all the issues involved.