HC Deb 08 December 1994 vol 251 cc354-5W
Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what initiatives his Department is pursuing to assist United Kingdom farmers who export live animals; what representations he has made to the European Union authorities on the subject; when he last attended a meeting of the Council of Ministers, and what was the outcome of the meeting; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Browning

Departmental officials are scrutinising urgently and fully all detailed proposals for alternative routes to transport food animals to mainland Europe, following the withdrawal of the main cross-channel ferry companies. The Department takes very seriously its responsibility for ensuring that only proposals which provide adequate welfare safeguards are allowed to proceed, but also recognises that legitimate proposals which meet these requirements should be permitted to start up with a minimum of delay.

My right hon. Friend has impressed on the European Commission and the Council of Ministers the importance of restoring public confidence by adopting at the Community level strict welfare controls and explicit enforcement arrangements: the last discussion in the Council of Ministers was in October when, regrettably, a number of member states successfully maintained their resistance to the kind of measures that we consider necessary.

We shall continue to press for the highest possible Community welfare standards for animals in transit. However, in the light of the continuing absence of agreement at the Community level, we are pressing ahead with the implementation of the proposals we circulated for comment in September for tighter national controls and a code of practice.

Mr. Llwyd

To ask the Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food how many representations he has received during the last six months on the subject of the export of live animals from England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Browning

We have received a very large number of representations, the majority expressing dissatisfaction at the export of live animals for slaughter or further fattening.