Colonel Clarkeasked the Minister of Agriculture to what extent the present orders which govern the export of horses from this country are applicable to countries outside Europe.
§ Sir T. DugdaleThe general provisions that relate to the method of carrying horses and the fittings of vessels apply to horses carried to any port outside Great Britain. The special provisions requiring horses to be subjected to a veterinary examination before shipment and specifying a maximum age and certain minimum values, which were designed to prevent the export of old or worn-out horses to the Continent for slaughter, apply only to horses carried to a port in Europe outside the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
Colonel Clarkeasked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will take the necessary steps to arrange that the present provision making it obligatory to rest cattle after their arrival at ports in this country prior to their being moved inland shall equally apply to horses arriving at such ports.
87W
§ Sir T. DugdaleIt is not considered desirable to require all horses to be detained for a rest period on arriving at ports in this country since it is often preferable that horses that have made a short sea journey should go on at once to their destination. A provision was included in the Transit of Horses Order, 1951, which makes it an offence to carry a horse in a road or rail vehicle if, owing to fatigue, it cannot be so carried without unnecessary suffering. This should ensure that a horse requiring rest after a sea journey is detained until it is fit to travel.