§ Mr. Cohenasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what steps his Ministry takes to ensure that animal products imported into the United Kingdom have not been obtained from animals subjected in their country of origin to treatment classed as cruel in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will take steps to ban the importation into the United Kingdom of wool from Australia from sheep which have been subjected to mulesing; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. FennerIt is not my Ministry's policy to restrict imports on the grounds suggested by the hon. Member, nor has it powers to do so.
As regards the particular example to which the hon. Member refers, I understand that an Australian Senate Select Committee is currently conducting an inquiry into mulesing.