Identification of Animals

HC Deb 08 February 1994 vol 237 cc128-30W

Mr. Butler

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how the Government intend to implement EC directive 92/102 on the registration of holdings and the identification of animals; and if she will make a statement.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

Proper identification of animals and proper record keeping by farmers is essential if we are to protect our high animal health status and I am pleased to announce that I have decided on the best way forward on the identification and registration of cattle, pigs, sheep and goats.

The United Kingdom fought successfully in negotiations in Brussels for a commonsense approach to animal identification. We pressed hard for a system that would be the most efficient and at the same time the least burdensome to farmers and we achieved the best possible result.

The EC directive requires brief details of all cattle, pig, sheep and goat holdings to be held on a central register. This has been completed for cattle, is under way for pigs and will be completed by the 1 January 1995 deadline for sheep and goats.

Each calf born on or after 1 July 1994 will have to have one ear tag inserted bearing that animal's unique number. The current requirement for inserting the tag in non-dairy calves within seven days of birth will be relaxed to the 30 days set in the directive. Officials are discussing, with the ear tag manufacturers, how to control the issue of tags to ensure there is no duplication of numbers and the least disruption to the way farmers buy their tags.

The directive also allows each member state to devise its own arrangements for the movement of pigs within their own country. We have told the Commission that we shall base ours on the Movement and Sale of Pigs Order 1975. Pigs going for export will have to be ear tagged or tattooed to show the country and herd of origin.

The arrangements for sheep and goats are not due to be implemented until 1 January 1995. However, the sheep industry representatives have already said they would like to see similar requirements introduced as for pigs. Agriculture Department officials will be consulting them shortly about the details.

The more detailed record-keeping requirements for cattle were implemented by the Bovine Animals (Identification, Marking and Breeding Records) (Amendment) Order 1993. The minor changes required will be introduced shortly and those for sheep and goats on 1 January 1995.

Agriculture Department officials will be writing to all those who took part in the consultation exercise setting out the new arrangements in more detail. Copies of this letter will be placed in the Library.

Mr. Butler

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the Government have reviewed the operations of the Movement and Sale of Pigs Order 1975; and if she will make a statement.

Mrs. Gillian Shephard

We have been conducting a deregulatory review of the Movement and Sale of Pigs Order 1975. It is clear that the industry accepts the need for this order to protect the high health status of the national herd. However, we have decided to streamline its operation to reduce the burden on farmers.

We will be allowing farmers to issue their own documents, currently issued by local authorities, for the movement of pigs off their own farms. The self-issued documents, which will replace the existing licences, will also act as the movement document required under the Animal Identification and Registration Directive, so that farmers will not have to fill in two pieces of paper to move one pig.

We will also be scrapping the requirement to mark pigs going to slaughter, other than swill-fed pigs, where we will be simplifying the mark to a single red line to allow for easier marking on the farm.

I believe that these changes will enable the order to operate more efficiently while at the same time maintaining the high level of protection for the health status of our pig industry.

Agriculture Department officials will be writing shortly to all those who took part in the consultation exercise setting out the new arrangements in more detail. Copies of this letter will be placed in the Library.