HC Deb 05 December 1996 vol 286 cc725-7W
Mr. Morley

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if the ear tag UK YK 0737 has been used on more than one ovine animal destined for export; [7732]

(2) if the ear tag identification UK YK 0737 was the sole means of identification for a sheep destined for export on 2 November. [7730]

Mrs. Browning

UK YK 0737 is the country and flockmark part of the identification mark and, as such, has been used on more than one animal. The ear tag applied to exported sheep also included an individual animal identification number.

Mr. Morley

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the ear tags on sheep identify the place of final loading on to a vehicle as the holding of origin.[7731]

Mrs. Browning

Not necessarily: the Sheep and Goats (Records, Identification and Movement) Order 1996 provides, where sheep are to be consigned for export, for an ear tag or tattoo to show the flockmark either of the consignor of the sheep for export or of a previous keeper of the animal. The tag or tattoo must also show the individual identification number of the animal as shown by its accompanying health certificate.

Mr. Morley

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in what circumstances a local veterinary inspector may sign an export health certificate when he has not visited the premises at which the sheep are inspected.[7733]

Mrs. Browning

Veterinary surgeons should certify only those matters which are within their own knowledge, can be ascertained by them personally or are the subject of a supporting certificate from another veterinarian who does have personal knowledge of the matters in question and is authorised to provide such a supporting document. It would therefore be permitted for a local veterinary inspector to sign an export health certificate when he or she had not inspected an export consignment, provided that he or she signed the certificate on the basis of an attestation provided by a local veterinary inspector who had inspected the consignment.

Mr. Morley

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 25 November,Official Report, column 102, concerning consignments of sheep, where the supervision of the loading of 16 consignments took place, and by whom it was supervised. [7736]

Mrs. Browning

The 16 supervised loadings referred to in the answer of 25 November were carried out by Ministry staff at various locations in Sussex, Devon, Essex, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Mr. Morley

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 21 November,Official Report, column 708, what assessment he has made of the practice of not recording communications between inspectors at the port and headquarters at Tolworth and of its implications for accountability. [7720]

Mrs. Browning

There is no need to record every one of the many communications between Dover and Tolworth, but significant matters are recorded.

Mr. Morley

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department is able to trace every ovine animal back to the holding on which the animal was born. [7738]

Mrs. Browning

The Sheep and Goats (Records, Identification and Movement) Order 1996 provides for a system of identification and movement records to assist the tracing of sheep.

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