HC Deb 21 April 1982 vol 22 c97W
Mr. Cartwright

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about progress towards an agreement on a Council of Europe draft convention on animal welfare made at the ad hoc committee meeting on 30 March.

Mr. Raison

At its meeting which took place from 30 March to 2 April, the ad hoc committee reached agreement on the text of the convention with the exception of the final articles, which deal with such matters as ratification, accession of non-member countries and reservations. In the course of the committee's deliberations, various revisions of the text of the earlier draft were made. There remain to be considered the texts of two ancillary documents: the draft appendix on the guidelines on the care and accommodation of animals covered by the convention, and the draft explanatory report to the convention itself.

The ad hoc committee will meet again in October 1982 to consider the final articles of the convention and the two ancillary documents.