§ Mr. Stephen Rossasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether it remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government that there should be no export of live animals for slaughter to countries outside the EEC; and, if so, how he proposes to implement the policy.
§ Mr. WigginThe Department of Trade will, on my Department's advice, continue to refuse export licences to any country outside the EEC which does not have satisfactory animal welfare arrangements.
§ Mr. Stephen Rossasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to reach agreement with other EEC countries on his commitments to the principles that no journey of farm 6W animals designed for slaughter should exceed 12 hours and that no animal which has given birth within the previous 48 hours should be sold for export.
§ Mr. WigginThe case for a 12-hour rule is being considered by the EEC Council working group which is dealing with the draft directive intended to implement directive 77/489 on the protection of animals during international transport. Directive 77/489 prohibits the export of farm animals likely to give birth during carriage or which have given birth during the preceding 48 hours.