§ Mrs. Helen ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research she has commissioned and what assessment she has made of evidence on how high standards of farm animal welfare can be incorporated in an economically viable manner in her strategy for the future of farming. [70611]
§ Mr. MorleyDeveloping and maintaining high standards of farm animal welfare are at the heart of Government policy. Comprehensive legislation and species-specific welfare codes will form the basis to any new sustainable strategy for food and farming.
§ Mr. ProsserTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs where health certification was carried out in respect of the five consignments of live sheep exported from Dover to continental Europe on 15 July, how many of the sheep were rejected as unfit for the intended journey; where those sheep were taken; what final destination address was given on the route plan for each of the consignments; and what responsibility she had to check whether the arrangement foreseen in the route plan to rest, feed and922W water the animals, and the requirements of European Community law, were adhered to once the animals left the United Kingdom. [71540]
§ Mr. MorleyHealth certification was carried out at four approved assembly centres in North Wales. At the time of inspection for certification, three sheep were rejected as unfit for their intended journey and eight sheep were rejected on animal health grounds. The sheep were transported from the assembly centres to Dover and then via Holland to EU approved slaughterhouses, four in France and one in Italy. All route plans are checked before they are stamped to ensure that the proposed journey complies with requirements for rest, feed and water. Completed route plans must be returned within 15 days of the end of the journey showing details of the actual journey and any deviations from the planned journey. Returned route plans are checked and any queries followed up.