HL Deb 24 October 1983 vol 444 cc123-4WA
Lord Northfield

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will supply the names of the members of the sub-committee of the Farm Animal Welfare Council examining deer farming, and what their qualifications are for this purpose.

The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Belstead)

Members of the Farm Animal Welfare Council who form a working group which is reviewing all welfare aspects of deer farming are at present:

Professor J. M. M. Cunningham CBE BSc (Agric) PhD FRSC FIBiol (Chairman)—Principal of the West of Scotland Agriculture college and Professor of Agriculture at Glasgow University.

Mr. S. Burgess FBIM—Managing Director of a group of companies engaged in livestock farming, marketing, shipping and wholesale meat and game exporting.

Mr. D. L. Haxby MRCVS—Veterinary Surgeon in Nottinghamshire and current President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Mr. R. MacPherson MRCVS—Veterinary Surgeon in Ross-shire.

Mr. J. G. Thomas BSc (Agric)—Farmer in Lancashire and Honorary Lecturer in Biology at the University of Lancaster.

Mr. P. A. Walker JP—Hill farmer in Clwyd.

Many of these members, particularly Professor Cunningham, who is a former Director of the Hill Farming Research Organisation, have experience of working with deer. The working group is also drawing on the expertise of organisations and individuals with an interest in all aspects of deer farming, and has invited and taken evidence from them.

The group's findings will be considered by the full council membership, who will decide on the recommendations to be submitted to agriculture Ministers.