§ Mr. Harry GreenwayTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when his inspectors last visited the Southall horse market; what activities they undertook there; and if he will make a statement. [4474]
§ Mrs. Browning[holding answer 14 December 1995]: Horse sales are held at the market weekly, with the numbers of horses, ponies and donkeys presented varying from sale to sale—between 30 and 100 depending on the time of year. Veterinary inspections, organised by the State Veterinary Service, are carried out on a regular basis 127W to monitor welfare standards, compliance with legislative requirements and to look for evidence of animal disease. Lay inspectors of the SVS and the local authority also make frequent inspection visits for similar purposes and the police and representatives of the RSPCA and horse welfare organisations regularly attend on market days. The market was last inspected—by a veterinary inspector and a lay inspector—on 6 December. They report that the police and RSPCA were also in attendance. Thirty-five horses and ponies were inspected and no problems were recorded.