§ Mr. Temple-Morrisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total cost of printing and distributing each of the following five publications prepared following consultation required by Section 3(1) of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968, namely: cattle, pigs, domestic fowl, turkeys and sheep.
§ Mr. StrangThe cost of printing and distributing the welfare codes for cattle, pigs, domestic fowls and turkeys in 1969 is estimated at approximately £14,000. Revised codes were issued in 1971 at an estimated cost of approximately £17,000. On each occasion the four codes were distributed together, and the estimates of cost cannot be apportioned between them. The cost of printing and distributing the welfare code for sheep, issued in 1978, is estimated at approximately £12,500.
§ Mr. Temple-Morrisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, prior to the publication of the pamphlet on sheep in December 1977 pursuant to the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968, Part 1, what consultation took place and with what bodies.
§ Mr. StrangA proposed code of recommendations for the welfare of sheep, on which my right hon. Friend the Minister and the other Agriculture Ministers308W had received advice from the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Committee, was circulated in June 1976 to 56 interested organisations in England and Wales and 36 in Scotland, including farming and allied organisations, animal welfare bodies, scientific and professional bodies, and agricultural and veterinary departments of Universities. Comments from any other interested persons and bodies were invited by Press notice. The observations were taken into account in the preparation of the final version of the code which was submitted to Parliament for approval in December 1977.
§ Mr. Temple-Morrisasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many prosecutions there have been in each year since the passing of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968 brought under Section 1(1) of that Act.
§ Mr. StrangNo information is available about the number of such prosecutions initiated without assistance from my Department.
The number of prosecutions under the 1968 Act taken by the Ministry or in which staff of the State Veterinary Service have assisted the police or animal welfare societies is as follows:
1968 Nil 1969 Nil 1970 Nil 1971 1 1972 Nil 1973 Nil 1974 4 1975 3 1976 Nil 1977 3 In addition, during the same period, staff of the State Veterinary Service have assisted police or welfare societies in 18 other cases where charges were brought under the Protection of Animals Acts for offences involving suffering by livestock on agricultural land.