Animal By-products (Hansard, 13 May 2003)

§ Andrew George
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the impact of the Animal By-Products Regulation on(a) small abattoirs and slaughterhouses and (b) planning applications for small and medium-sized abattoirs and slaughterhouses since October 2002. [111117]

§ Mr. Morley
A partial Regulatory Impact Assessment on the Animal By-Products Regulation is in the Library of the House, as part of the consultation on the enforcing regulations dated 27 January 2003. The Department has issued guidance to abattoirs, suggesting simple, low-cost ways of complying with the new requirements for disposal of blood. Planning applications may not be required in all cases. We have no information on the impact that the Regulation has had on the number of planning applications from small and medium sized abattoirs since October 2002.

§ Andrew George
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the provisions relating to the separation of buildings in the Animal By-Products Regulation in relation to small abattoirs and slaughterhouses. [111118]

§ Mr. Morley
The UK has secured a modification to Annex V of the Regulation to allow fat-rendering plants to be linked to abattoirs, providing they are operated separately and only process animal by-products originating on the premises.

§ Mr. Gray
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what regulations will be in force regarding the burial of horses on racecourses and studs following the introduction of the EU Animal By-products Regulation; and what information has been given to horse owners and trainers. [111350]

§ Mr. Morley
New EU legislation, the Animal By-Products Regulation, applied in Member States from I May. Amongst other things the Regulation banned the routine on-farm burial and open burning of animal carcases.
Horses from racecourses and stud farms will have to be disposed of in accordance with the Regulation. Burial or open burning is not permitted. Currently the permitted disposal routes for fallen stock include rendering, incineration, or sending the carcases to approved knackers yards, hunt kennels or maggot farms.
No specific advice has been provided to horse owners and trainers, but information on the disposal of animal carcases is available on the Defra website, at http:// www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/bv-prods/default.htm., and from local Defra Animal Health Offices.