§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what systems he has to ensure that payments for cattle sold into the Irish Republic can be traced to buyers in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. HanleyNone. The question of payment for cattle sold in Northern Ireland is a private matter between the seller and purchaser and, if the sale is through a livestock market, the operator of the market.
§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action has been taken to trace cattle movements through herd book registers in Northern Ireland to identify smuggling activity into the Irish Republic.
§ Mr. HanleyChecks on herd registers as a means of tracing illegal movements of cattle are ineffective. The legal movement of cattle between herds, to and from livestock markets and to slaughterhouses is recorded for purposes of animal disease control. The export of cattle to the Republic of Ireland is prohibited, except in very limited circumstances, for bovine spongiform encephalopathy reasons. This means that permits for movements to the Republic are not normally requested and such movements would not therefore be recorded in herd registers.