§ Mr. Corbettasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultation took place, with whom, when, and with what result, on the recommendation of the report of the Committee on the Export of Live Animals for Slaughter, Command Paper No. 5566, published in March 1974, that exporters should bear the cost of the pre-export veterinary
Adult cattle ('000 head) … … 3.7 10.5 3.4 Calves ('000 head) … … 105.5 234.4 359.7 Sheep ('000 head) … … 141.9 226.3 200.3 Pigs (head) … … 176 75 240 Source: Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Corbettasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations took place, with whom, when, and with what results, on the recommendation of the report of the Committee on the Export of Live Animals for Slaughter, Command Paper No. 5566, published in March 1974, that the system of annual inspections of export lairages in Great Britain should be supplemented with routine inspections by veterinary officers of his Department.
§ Mr. John SilkinI refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him on 12th June which explained when and with whom consultations took place. Both
598Winspection; what has been the estimated annual cost of such inspections in 1975, 1976, and 1977; what, for each year, have been the number of veterinary inspectors involved; and how many inspections were carried out in each of these years.
§ Mr. John SilkinI refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him on 12th June, which explained when and with whom consultations took place.—[Vol. 951, c. 360–1.]
Most of the welfare and trade interests who commented on this recommendation accepted it. No change was made to the existing arrangements as it was thought inappropriate to charge exporters for an inspection which did not confer benefit on them.
The veterinary examination for fitness to travel is carried out by Government veterinary staff during the course of their normal range of duties. The degree of involvement varies considerably from one part of the country to another, and from month to month with the pattern of the trade. I regret that it is not therefore possible to estimate separately the number of officers involved or the annual cost of the veterinary examinations.
Animals exported for slaughter for further fattening receive the veterinary examination for fitness to travel. The total numbers exported, excluding breeding animals and animals exported to the Irish Republic, were as follows:
welfare and trade interests agreed with this recommendation.
Lairages are inspected as necessary. Apart from the annual inspection, Ministry veterinary officers have to visit lair-ages to inspect animals in each consignment being exported. On these visits they exercise a general oversight of lairage conditions and standards. Additional routine inspections are not considered to be necessary.
§ Mr. Corbettasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions have taken place, with whom, when, and with what results, on the recommendation of the report of the Committee 599W on the Export of Live Animals for Slaughter, Command Paper No. 5566, published in March 1974, that discussions should be held with the Government of the Republic of Ireland on immediate re-exports of Northern Ireland stock and the humane slaughtering of pigs imported from Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. John SilkinI refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him on 12th June which explained when and with whom consultations took place.—[Vol. 951, c.360–1.] No formal discussions took place with authorities of the Irish Republic.
Since the Committee reported, the Irish Republic has introduced legislation to implement the EEC Directive on Stunning of Animals before slaughter. This is designed to ensure that pigs and other animals are stunned before slaughter.
§ Mr. Corbettasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations have taken place, with whom, when, and with what result, on the recommendation of the report of the Committee on the Export of Live Animals for Slaughter, Command Paper No. 5566, published in March 1974, that export licences for store animals should include provision for the certification by the importer that the animals are intended for further fattening for a period of at least three months.
§ Mr. John SilkinI refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him on 12th June which explained when and with whom consultations took place.
The trade interests would have been ready to accept this recommendation, but the welfare interests considered that it would be impractical and unenforceable. The other member States consulted agreed that the recommendation would be unenforceable, and did not find the proposed level of surveillance acceptable.
As I explained to my hon. Friend in the earlier reply referred to above, the Government carefully considered all these views and announced in the House that they had decided to concentrate on long-term European measures, which the Committee had concluded to be the most effective way of safeguarding the animals' 600W welfare, and not to bring in the proposed interim arrangements.