§ Miss Fookesasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will designate an official within his Department with special responsibility for animal welfare.
§ Mrs. FennerAt the Ministry's headquarters there is an administrative division which deals solely with animal welfare policy issues on farms, at markets and in transit. This division and the administrative division responsible for welfare at slaughter work closely with senior officers of the headquarters staff of the State Veterinary Service. In the field, veterinary officers in the SVS, at divisional and regional levels all contribute extensively on matters of advice and enforcement on the welfare of farm animals on farms, at markets, in transit, and at the point of slaughter. The total manpower devoted to these programmes amounted to some 136 man-years in 1984–85. Additionally, all staff of the Ministry's Agriculture Development and Advisory Service maintain a careful watch on welfare issues during their frequent visits to farms, liaising with SVS colleagues.
Against this background, we see no need to designate a single official with special responsibility for animal welfare.