§ Sir R. GOWERasked the Minister of Agriculture upon what occasions during the past three months inspectors of his Department have followed horses exported from this country for butchery purposes to the Continent; what places were visited by such inspectors; and the nature of the reports received by them, respectively?
§ Mr. N. BUXTONDuring the past three months officers of the Ministry have followed horses exported from this country to the Continent for immediate slaughter on three occasions, namely, on 22nd March to Holland, and on 2nd and 25th April to France. In Holland the Ministry's officers visited the quarantine stables, market and public abattoir at Rotterdam, and the public abattoirs at Amsterdam, Haarlem, Alkmaar, Leiden and the Hague; also private slaughterhouses at Zaandam, Hoorn, Enkhuizen and Den Helder. These include all the places so far as could be ascertained to which British horses are sent for immediate slaughter. At the private slaughterhouses, as well as at the public slaughterhouses, the horses are examined ante-and post-mortem by a veterinarian appointed by the State, who is also responsible for the general observance of the regulations, including method of slaughter. The officers of the Ministry reported that they were satisfied that the horses at all these places are adequately stabled, fed and watered, and that the law, which requires the use of the mechanical killer for slaughter in all cases in Holland, is efficiently enforced. In France, Calais, Boulogne and Paris (Vaugirard) were visited. As in Holland so at these places adequate arrangements are made for the comfortable stabling and proper feeding and watering of horses awaiting slaughter. At Calais, the municipality, by regulation, require the use 2075W of the mechanical killer. At Boulogne it has been the practice for the past two years to slaughter all horses with the mechanical killer. At Vaugirard, the only horses exported from Great Britain for immediate slaughter there, from the beginning of 1929 to the end of April, 1930 (14 in number) were slaughtered with the mechanical killer, and an assurance was given to the Ministry's officers that this method will be employed in respect of all such horses.
§ Sir R. GOWERasked the Minister of Agriculture whether, having regard to the conditions under which horses are ordinarily slaughtered at Vaugirard and to the number of horses of British origin which are slaughtered there, he will consider the desirability of making representations to the French Government regarding the matter?
§ Mr. BUXTONFrom the beginning of last year to the end of April, 1930, only 14 horses have been sent from Great Britain for slaughter at Vaugirard. These were shipped in April this year, and were all slaughtered with the mechanical killer. In the circumstances I do not think that there are any grounds upon which representations could be made to the French Government, as suggested by the hon. Member.
§ Sir R. GOWERasked the Minister of Agriculture the number of horses exported from this country to the Continent for butchery purposes during the past two months; the places to which such horses were exported; and the methods and conditions by and under which they were, respectively, slaughtered?
§ Mr. BUXTONDuring the months of March and April, 444 horses were exported to the Continent for the purpose of immediate slaughter on arrival. Of this number 430 went to Holland and 14 to France. It is a statutory requirement in Holland that horses shall be killed with a mechanical killer. As regards the 14 horses to France, these were killed at the abattoir at Vaugirard, Paris, with a mechanical killer.