§ Mr. Greenwayasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list his powers in respect of horse markets.
§ Mrs. Fenner:The main legislation protecting the welfare of horses in markets in England and Wales is the Protection of Animals Acts 1911 to 1964 for which my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary if responsible.
The Transit of Animals (Road and Rail) Order 1975, which was made under powers now contained in the Animal Health Act 1981 and is enforced by local authorities, covers horses and includes provisions relating to loading and unloading. The Agriculture Ministers in Great Britain issued in July 1979 a non-statutory code of practice for the guidance of operators of horse, pony and donkey markets, sales and fairs. We have been monitoring the degree of compliance with this code at a range of horse markets and are currently considering the results of that exercise.